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I started my first day of work at my last job before retiring 13 years later. One of the supervisors picked up on something I said to her during a larger get-to-know-you conversation. It was a throw-away social remark, similar to “How ya doin’?”

I said, “I live under a lucky star.”

She replied sincerely with, “Really?”

I responded with a quick “No, not really.”

I didn’t want to mislead her into a perception that I was into some kind of occult, voodoo, mystery belief system. Getting off on the right foot was important.

Recently, I was browsing the Guardian weekly magazine. They have a section under the heading of ‘The Big Idea,’ followed by several books that expand on the theme presented that week.

This week, the tagline was ‘I should be so lucky.’ After reading the article, I realized I hadn’t quite gotten it right with my response to the supervisor.

I know I am luckier than many people. Some of these reasons are beyond my control, but many, seemingly, were within my control. I may have had a significant influence on my own luck. Here are the main reasons why some people appear to be luckier than others.

I quote from the article:

Lucky people possess “a constellation of habits: optimism grounded in self-awareness, biological rhythms aligned with the chemistry of well-being, the courage to follow curiosity, the generosity to invest in others and the persistence to remain in play.”

Time for self-reflection and all the nuances it involves.

I am optimistic. A good example is that when asked about my belief in God, I never had a positive way to respond. All possible answers carried a negative tone, so I avoided giving a direct reply. Over time, I found a response that aligns with my optimism. I’m a Ghlarn, which is an acronym for my words of Faith—Gratitude, Hope, Love, Attitude, Respect, and Nature.

Being optimistic doesn’t cost me more than being pessimistic, so I choose optimism whenever possible.

As you can see from my Blogs, I spend time reflecting. I’m quite efficient at it now, so the actual time in this mode isn’t as much as it might seem.

My biological well-being is reflected in my near-obsession with sticking to my bedtime and sleep schedule. Bedtime is 11:30 PM, and my alarm is set for 8:15, though I usually wake up early.

The tagline for this blog is “For those with a curious spirit.” That says it all. The other marker is my bumper sticker, “Say yes more often.”

I volunteer to help others as a need-to-do. Since retiring, I am careful not to sit on any committees or boards. However, I help with casinos, washed lunchtime dishes once a week for a year for the local seniors’ association, and sell 50-50 tickets. 

I noticed a pattern here of not including any direct service to people who could use a hand. That wasn’t intentional, so I’ll be conscious of filling that important gap this year.

I can be tenacious sometimes, but I also realize that there is a time to let something go. I don’t do that often, but I keep it as an option.

Please give this a bit of a think. Do you live under a lucky star?

Please comment by sending me an email with your bit of a think. I am curious about your thoughts.

Photo by Barbara Krysztofiak on Unsplash

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