How do you define ‘good fortune’? Is it something you can invite into your life at will? What is luck anyway?

Mythology and folklore is full of magical examples of good luck and if we’re to believe in fairy tales it seems to be some sort of slippery substance that some people have and others don’t. Luck of the Irish, four leaf clovers, pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, the list goes on.

But wait! If that’s really how good fortune is doled out by the gods of the universe it’s a depressing proposition. What if you were to miss out and not get your fair share? If it’s a zero sum proposition, does that mean when one person has a lot, the next person is shortchanged?

Perhaps that’s not the case. Perhaps, just perhaps, there’s a method to the madness, a hidden system, some underlying pattern that can be observed and decoded if only one cares enough to pay attention. After all, the very definition of luck is subjective. One persons windfall may well be another’s worst nightmare.

But if indeed there is a pattern, what might be the best way to crack the code? Let’s start by holding the presupposition that luck, or it’s inverse, misfortune, occurs primarily due to the attitudes and behaviors that one practices.

People that predictably bounce from drama to disaster often exhibit similar ways of being, it may be informative to look at those to know what to avoid. Folks who walk through life with a chip on their shoulder, (or worse yet, both shoulders!) are certain to find people who will knock them off. If you have an axe to grind, the universe is sure to cooperate and put plenty of hard, flinty obstacles in your way.

If you act entitled, you’re sure to experience the lack of things in your world. If you pre-judge certain people or communities, you’re sure to miss out on the best they have to offer. When you reflexively look for the worst in people, what makes you think you’ll see the best later? If you are selfish, how can you expect other people to be generous?

The flip side of all of this are the not-so-secret ingredients of good fortune. When someone “creates their own luck”, just what are they doing? Well, for one thing, they’re probably keeping an open mind. Being observant of your surroundings, being a good listener, and paying close attention to every situation helps.

When your mind is clouded or self-absorbed it’s easy to stumble. When you get in the habit of contributing and looking for ways to help, you’ll find more doors open to you. Willingness to pitch in and lend a hand is like a magnet to opportunity.

Also, never underestimate the power of simply showing up. Making yourself available isn’t exactly complicated. For any given opportunity you’d be surprised at how often it goes to the one who just happened to be the first to arrive, the last to help cleanup, or the person who arrived prepared.

Lucky people don’t second guess themselves. The folks who missed out by not showing up were probably staying home because they let self-doubt get in the way and never made it out the door. “I’m not good enough” I can’t do that” “I don’t have any experience” or “They probably won’t like me” are all examples of self-defeating self-talk. The fact is, how can you know unless you try?

Lucky people are willing to take a chance and roll the dice. That doesn’t mean taking big risks, it just means banishing self-defeat from your internal dialog and instead saying to yourself, “Why not? There’s always a chance it will work out for me!”

Lucky people never dwell on failure. They run into it just like anyone else, but they’ve developed the knack of moving on to the next thing without a loss of enthusiasm. The last thing you’ll see a fortunate soul doing is holding a grudge or hanging on to a grievance.

Lucky people are confident. Not always in the sense that they have mastered something, but in that they know that they hold within themselves an unlimited supply of the stuff that counts. Creativity. Contribution. Curiosity. A willingness to be willing. The confidence in knowing that even if they totally blow it the first time (or two) around, they’re willing to dust themselves off and give it the old school try once more. And hey, if it doesn’t work out, well, on to the next thing with no love lost.

I’m sure you can add more to this list if you think about it. Approaching the world with an expansive mindset gives you  insight into the abundance of opportunity all around. And if you ever feel stuck, take some time to move your body, get out in nature, even dance or sing a little bit. Like a duck in water, you can always shake things loose and start fresh!

Have a loving and lucky week and I’ll see you next Monday!

M+

Mark Metz
Director of the Dance First Association
Publisher of Conscious Dancer Magazine

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