The Luck of the Irish
Letter from the editor
The temperature was below zero the morning I rolled down my window to pay the toll. As I stepped back on the gas and flicked the window button, I knew in an instant I was in trouble. The window was not going back up. No matter how many times or how hard I pulled on that button, my window had other plans.
As I drove, icicles began to attach to my face where the tears of frustration had once been. My teeth chattered and my lips turned blue as I proceeded toward my destination. The frustration had mounted as I proclaimed that if it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.
What is luck, anyway? I do have a fair amount of Irish in me, so I’m hoping that will qualify me to share my observations about it. If you ask me, “good luck” is simply a good attitude and outlook on life along with a spirit of positive energy. That’s it. Every incident can either be seen as an obstacle or an opportunity. We get to choose how we view and respond to the everyday occurrences of life.
After the window incident, I kept my ‘I’m just an unlucky person‘ mindset for a few years. Life always seemed to prove me right. The smoke alarm only chirped in the middle of the night, I only got stuck in traffic when I was already late, and I inevitably always chose the longest checkout line.
Then one day I heard a podcast that made me rethink my luck, or lack thereof. It was about ‘speaking life’ into the people you love, regardless of your circumstances. The gist of it was that the words we use carry power. Words will either foster love and positivity into the life of another or the alternative. This applies especially to how we speak about ourselves.
I decided to give it a try. I began to speak as if I absolutely loved my life, even the parts I typically grumbled about. At first it felt like an act but then the unexpected happened. I actually began to believe what I was saying. The more I projected that positive energy around everyone and everything in my life, the better and happier my life became.
Yes, it was words that began the shift. But in order to change my words, I had to adjust my mindset and look for the good in each and every situation.
Suddenly I felt like the luckiest girl in the world! Nothing had changed except the way I viewed it, yet that changed everything.
I challenge you to to give it a try and you may end up feeling luckier than you thought.?
Peace
& Love,
Cindy
