Sh*t, Sunshine, and Serendipity

I read about a study in luck this week. Why some people are luckier than others turns out it has a lot to do with attention, and recognizing opportunities when they arise. But here’s the rub, people that thought of themselves as lucky were more likely to recognize those opportunities than those who thought of themselves as unlucky.

Here’s how it went: researchers set up a coffee shop with a five pound note on the ground outside. Inside the shop were several neutral participants and one businessman looking to hire someone like the subjects  in the study. The subjects that thought of themselves as lucky noticed the 5 pound note and picked it up, sat next to the businessman and struck up a conversation that might lead to an opportunity. The subjects that described themselves as unlucky mostly missed the five pound note on the ground, and while most sat next to the businessman, none struck up a conversation.

Isn’t that crazy?

But it keeps with my own life experience in fact. The more I thought of myself as magical, the more magical shit I found. The more I thought of myself as lucky, the more luck I found.

Note that I didn’t say “attracted”. This isn’t “law of attraction” stuff. This is PURE MUNDANE AWARENESS. You notice what you think about most.

Since I moved to Vermont, I have had numerous problems with the house: I had to have the roof replaced because of leaks. I had to have trees taken down. I had to have exterminators out and we will probably never actually stop the mice (stuff to think about before you move to the woods kids…).  The winter is way longer and drearier than I anticipated, and the winter sports that I hoped would keep me active, turn out to aggravate a foot injury to the point that I can’t stand to do them. When I focus on this, these things get amplified and I tend to start seeing problems everywhere.

On the other hand, when I think about the school system here, the quiet (I have sensory issues, so this is huge), the natural beauty. the summer outdoor activities, and most of all the community of friends I have here: I somehow notice more opportunities to do even more awesome things,

I am not saying be positive about everything and deny negative things that occur. Take that toxic positivity nonsense and toss it away! Bad shit happens and needs to be dealt with head on! I am just saying sunshine happens too. How you consider your own personal mix of shit and sunshine makes a serious difference in what you notice more.

Since we tend to enchant the things we notice, it makes a big difference in how Sorcery plays out in our lives….

Get it?