The month of LUCK is upon us, friends! IDK how on earth it is, ’cause I swear it was Christmas a few weeks ago, but either way, here we are. The month of luck, the month of my birth – it’s a good month, yo. 😉
I swear most of life is about luck.
Sure, many super successful folks will swear that they themselves are personally responsible for their own success, because they’re awesome and fabulous and smart and savvy and all that jazz. But if we (+ they) are being honest, chances are, a whole lotta help + a whole lotta luck was a part of the picture, too.
I got lucky with Coming Up Roses. Did I work my BUNS off for seemingly endless hours for countless days/months/years before it became something “successful”?
Abso-friggin-lutely.
But a lotta luck is still involved in having the right people, things, + opportunities cross your path (or your inbox) at juuuuust the right time to make something more of it. Call it a blessing, call it a universal manifestation, call it fate, call it cause-and-effect…call it what you will, but there’s luck in there, too.
A mistake folks make when it comes to luck, tho, is assuming that it’s *entirely* up to blind chance. Sure, by definition, that’s kinda sorta the name of the game.
But especially when it comes to the bigger picture of *life*, you guys know I’m all about making it happen – which involves a little bit o’ luck on purpose. 😉 Teaming up with my friends at Allstate to talk about how to get lucky, with 10 ways to get lucky on purpose, in early celebration of good ol’ St. Patty’s Day. Grab your shamrock and let’s get started…
HOW TO GET LUCKY INTENTIONALLY
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Set yourself up for success.
Ya know the saying “what would you do if you knew you could not fail?” Well…what would you do it you really didn’t WANT to fail, but knew you needed to do SOMETHING?
Wanna start your day with a glass of water instead of the usual cuppa joe? Set your glass under your Keurig where your mug usually sits, for that instant reminder. Bonus points for putting a lemon wedge down there to really get ya going!
Gotta hit the gym? Leave your sneakers by the door, so that every time you come in or out, you’re reminded to make that trip happen. Better than losing your workout gear at the bottom of your drawer under your comfiest sweats!
Have a work deadline coming up? Map out your task list, as well as how much time you estimate each task taking, to ensure you can allocate hours to tasks and get it all done on time. It’s a whole lot easier than waiting until the last minute (guilty) to rush + cram in not-your-best work.
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Visualize what you want.
Lately, I’ve caught myself ticking things off of my goals list that I had visualized months – even years – ago. It wasn’t even anything intentional really – nothing “woo woo,” nothing specific, nothing too intense. But I still made an effort to think about what I wanted, why I wanted it, and really see it. See it, + believe it to be true. Create a vision board, if it really helps you to see it out in front of yo’ face. Close your eyes and see where you want to go – who you want to be. I saw a fab quote on Pinterest the other day: “If you want to achieve the unimaginable, you start by imagining it.” Let yourself sit + think about your goals, dreams, desires – the whole nine yards. Beyond that, let yourself reaaaaally think about it – and not about wanting it, but about already having it. Imagine yourself doing the thing you want to do, having the thing you want to have, being the person you want to be. The power of your own mind can be used for or against you – it’s up to you to harness it accordingly.
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Plant the seeds…
…in other gardens. Other people’s gardens. Meaning, get specific + creative in planting seeds in people’s minds that can/will blossom down the road! Say you want a promotion. You’ve gotta plant the seed in your boss’ brain so that he/she thinks of you first + foremost when the time is right. Be purposefully growth-centric. Ask what you can do more. Ask what you can do better. Go above + beyond always. Become the go-to gal. Make it so that it’s impossible to NOT promote you – and be as crystal clear as possible that you are ready for that next step without actually saying “promote me!” It might seem “lucky” to many – but it’s totally intentional on your part. 😉
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Leave breadcrumbs.
Help yourself learn from the past! I saw a quote on Pinterest once that said “You can’t make the same mistake twice. The second time you make it, it’s no longer a mistake – it’s a choice.” DAYUM, amiright? But it’s true! So ya wanna get lucky on purpose – make sure you’re not foolishly falling into the same traps that caught ya once already. Personally, I’m big on brain dumps + re-evaluations basically always. Something went well? Why did it go well? What worked?
Alternatively, something went not-so-well? …what happened? What DIDN’T work?
Write it all down, keep it all there, so that it’s your “breadcrumb” trail down the road to get back on track if/when you find yourself in a similar rut needing to figure out how to get lucky all over again.
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Get your sh*t together.
I mean…just do it. Organize your desk space. Clean out your closet. Get your car detailed (thanks hubs 😉 ). Print out your workout plan. Close all of those open tabs (guilty). Scrub your bathroom. Find a productive hobby. Explore a new passion. Pinterest your meal plan for the week. Get all of the ish done that’s been on your to-do list since the beginning of time. Not only will it feel *a-ma-zing* to put things in order, but your mind will fall in line with it – and with that comes a whole new realm of possibilties for creativity, motivation, + productivity.
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Stop putting off what you know you have to do.
For me, a lot of this revolves around classic #adulting. Namely, my car. Quite frankly, I just pray to the sweet Lord Baby Jesus that I don’t find myself broken down on the side of the road, ’cause girlfriend would be CLUELESS. You’d think an Ivy League graduate would have more of a clue, but nope – I’ve got nada. HA. Luckily, my friends at Allstate have many clues when it comes to being car smart when it counts – their step-by-step resources for how to change a flat tire + how to jump start your car are bookmarked on my phone justincase. They’ve got this fabulous lil’ video to explain everything that could be going on if your check engine light is on. In general, bookmark this link for quick access – it’s got a buncha guides, resources, + instructions organized in an accessible “toolkit” format for whatever situation you unexpectedly end up in.
Also in general, things like insurance fall under the “what you know you have to do but have been putting off until Mom urges you” category. Too often, we wait until an accident happens or disaster strikes for us to do point numero cinco right above. 😉 But that’s no bueno – make sure you’re legit prepared for whatever might happen. It might not make ya feel like you’re about to GET lucky, but it sure as heck will make you feel less UNlucky if/when something awful happens unexpectedly.
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Do one hard thing every day.
Eleanor Roosevelt famously said to “do one thing every day that scares you,” so this is right in line. Growth is uncomfortable. Nothing good blossoms in comfort zones. You can rely on pure chance and throw your fishing line in your comfortable pool…or you can get lucky on purpose in the whole damn ocean. The best things in life are oftentimes the hardest. Do one hard thing every day, and that “lucky” break won’t feel so lucky – it’ll feel like a hard-worked-for #win.
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Get + stay consistent.
It’s the key to blogging, and it’s the key to pretty much anything in life. Successful people are consistent people. Whether that’s consistency in the time they wake up every morning, or consistency in practicing + honing their craft, it takes consistent effort to hit consistent “luck.” That singer’s big break was one part luck, two parts talent honed from practicing everyday, taking voice lessons every week, and getting in front of public crowds to perform every month. That winner of a bikini body building competition had one part luck, two parts consistently hitting the gym daily + meal planning constantly. Success isn’t accidental – it’s intentional. Consistency leads to luck on purpose.
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Get disciplined.
Discipline is like the water to make any good thing blossom. Get + stay disciplined AND consistent in doing hard things, in eliminating procrastination, in visualizing your success, and in planting the seeds for success across the board. For me, discipline is oftentimes the bane of my existence. Like, C’MON E, get it together, focus, + just do the damn thing already. I swear it’s my fatal flaw – it can be so dang hard for me to remain disciplined to see something all the way through without bebopping from task to task or getting distracted along the way.
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Practice gratitude.
Gratitude makes people happier. Gratitude makes life sweeter. Gratitude makes us more aware + more in tune with the goodness all around us always. Practice gratitude regularly (we’re talkin’ daily, peeps) for maximum effect. When I was in Disney last month, another Instagrammer on the trip shared his own favorite personal gratitude practice: Gratefuls. Every day, he starts by thinking of 5 unique things that he’s grateful for in that moment – simple as that. The key: Pass it on. If you can share it in a group setting + inspire others to do the same, do it.
Do you feel like you know how to get lucky on purpose now?
Are you ready to, oh I dunno, change your life now?! I know I am. 😉
Thanks for reading, friends – I just KNOW you’re going to have the luckiest week yet.
*This how to get lucky post was written as part of the Allstate Influencer Program and sponsored by Allstate. As always, all thoughts and opinions presented are entirely my own. As the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer, Allstate is dedicated not only to protecting what matters most–but to guiding people to live the Good Life, every day. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Coming Up Roses!
