A Little Luck for St. Patty’s Day
It is St. Patty’s Day. And in addition to wearing green, I’ve been thinking a little bit about luck and the psychology behind it.
You’ve probably heard it said that some people have all the luck. Yet if luck is a truly random thing, how can some people have it and some people not? If some people have all the luck, does that mean it is something internal?
Indeed, researchers who have looked at this question and who have talked to professional gamblers have heard it attributed to specific people, meaning it is something about that person that causes luck. And it could just be their attitude and their work ethic.
I know when I’m in the worst of my depressive episodes, it can be hard to have a positive outlook on anything, even the prospects of me getting out of bed that day. And with such darkness, how can luck find me?
Thought of another way, luck can sometimes be described as being in the right place at the right time. If my depression keeps me home-bound, how can I be in the right place? After all, if I stumble on cash that someone dropped in my house, that person is probably me.
Yes, there absolutely are random occurrences that are beyond our control. It rained the morning of my wedding day. That was something I couldn’t control. Yet how we react to it, even what kind of luck we attribute to it, is something we can control. I remember one of my friends telling me that rain on your wedding day is a sign of good luck. And after three-plus years of marriage, I can say that maybe they are right (or it had something to do with the toad my wife kissed before the ceremony, but that is another story).
My point is that life isn’t so much a series of random events that happens to us, but rather it can be the story of how we respond to those events. If you think about it, lucky people often create situations where positive things can happen, just like how research shows that grateful people create spaces where positive emotions can happen.
Growing up I thought I was the most unlucky person because of my depression. Now I could argue my depression is a superpower because I am able to use it to assist others who might be in a dark place. A big part of that is the fact I am open and honest about my mental health, which invites opportunities for connections that benefit my mental health.
And I’m willing to bet, if you are willing to be vulnerable and open up about your own struggles, you might find that you are rewarded with a little luck as well. And you don’t even have to pretend to be Irish to do it.