Have you ever had one of those days where not only are things just going your way, but someone ahead of you in line at the coffee shop paid for your coffee? Then a few hours later you win a giveaway on social media? Then when you got home your package had actually been delivered a week early? Those instances feel pretty lucky, don’t they? Well according to science you owe yourself a big “Thanks!” and not necessarily your “luck”. That’s right, according to science luck is actually more of a psychological thing. The concept or perception of “luck” is really just our own positive attitude that opens us up to new (and better or just good) opportunities.
So if this is all just a mind game in the simulation, can we control our luck? With our minds? Well, not really, but there are certain things we can do, or rather ways we can alter our way of thinking, according to Professor Richard Wiseman, who has studied luck in-depth. Here are a few of his tips for tricking yourself into thinking you’re lucky.
Maximize Opportunity
Maximizing opportunity has a whole lot to do with not being afraid to take a risk. Wiseman suggests that keeping your eyes and mind open, and not simply waiting for things to happen, will open you up to a whole new world of possibility.
Listen to your Gut
Those often perceived as “lucky” are simply in tune with their bodies and subconscious, and listen to the signals their bodies send their minds. How can you go about achieving this? Let go of your usual doubts and tune into your inner voice. This is way easier said than done for most of us, so to ease your mind into this process, Wiseman suggests meditating.
Expect the Good
As Zelda Fitzgerald wrote, “She quietly expected great things to happen to her, and no doubt that’s one of the reasons why they did.” Expecting the good means you’re in a positive mindset. Now, this doesn’t ensure that nothing bad will ever happen to you, but you will certainly have a sunnier view whether you’re having the actual best day or staying positive while you cope with a bout of failure. It probably goes without saying, but the opposite is true as well; if you have a bad attitude or have convinced yourself that nothing good ever happens to you, etc, then you probably won’t be having a good time.
