How to invite more good luck into our lives is the subject of today’s blog.
The St. Patrick’s Day shamrock reminds me of a four-leaf clover with it’s promise of luck. When I was a child, I used to search for this elusive plant in my parents’ front yard. It proved as difficult to find as the good fortune it promised.
Often it can seem like luck favors only a special few.
You know the type – the one who shows up at an event and wins almost all the raffle prizes. Or a Sufi friend of mine who can arrive at a workshops, bags in tow and always find a place to stay.
It’s hard not to feel jealous of this sort of person. Why do we have to work so hard to make things happen while good things magically arise for others?
I can recall several occasions when I actually won something — a large chocolate bar in 7th grade, a book on sound design at film networking event and a free pass to a workshop on abundance. Each time, just before the winner was announced, I had a mental flash that I would win.
Many times, I have tried to replicate that feeling of winning – holding my breath, imagining my name being called, repeating the word yes, over and over. So far, it has not worked.
Nevertheless, I am convinced that there is a knack to attracting good luck that can be learned.
I believe this because I actually have my own special area of luck. To me, it doesn’t really seem like luck, but to others it might. Since puberty, I have always been able to attract the opposite sex with ease. For example, I met my current husband at a Sufi retreat, a place where the ratio of women to men was around 7-1. The moment I saw him arrive in camp, I had no doubt that he was mine. There was plenty of competition, but this did not faze me in the least. I had a confidence, clarity and boldness that gave me the edge.
Perhaps you have a talent of your own that comes easily and is your own personal well of luck. You might, for example, be able to easily sell a product, or create community, attract help, figure out a problem, design a logo, cook a new recipe, get plants to grow, etc. Reflecting on your own innate talent will help you to feel what I mean by confidence, clarity and boldness.
The question is, how can we cultivate this feeling in other situations?
Let’s look at confidence.
Confidence is having the certainty that what you desire will happen.
Confidence comes from Latin: con meaning “with” and fidere meaning “to trust.” Having confidence means being “with trust.” When we feel wholly confident and trust in the outcome, success is more likely.
Children begin life in a state of innocence and trust. They enter this world a lot like the Fool in the Tarot Deck walking off a cliff and heading toward the dragon’s mouth. Babies trust that the adults in their life will feed and care for them. They have no choice in the matter because they can’t care for themselves.
Over the course of growing up, children may experience extreme tests of their trust — loss, abandonment, indifference, inadequacy, even emotional or physical abuse. In place of trust, they develop behavior patterns to help them survive. These patterns become deeply entrenched and may continue long after they serve any purpose. They are the antithesis of trust and confidence and can attract the very opposite of the good luck that is desired.
To invite luck back into their lives, these adult children need to restore confidence and trust.
Fortunately, the brain can be reprogrammed, but it takes effort. Both mental and physical practices are needed such as:
- Regular doses of inspirational writings and recordings.
- Assuming power poses several times a day
- Dancing to upbeat music with positive lyrics
- Reframing negative thinking
- Acknowledging the good
- Celebrating successes
The social support of one’s community is also essential to the process. We are social beings and we simply can’t do this alone.
Eventually the fear, doubt and distrust will be replaced with confidence and certainty.
This positive mindset, however, is not enough by itself to attract good luck. The Universe or whoever is holding the basket of goodies needs to know what is desired. Clarity — a clear vision of exactly what we want – is also required.
When the genie from the lamp asks you for your wish, you want to have an answer.
Stay tuned. In the next blog, we will explore the sort of clarity luck requires.
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