Get Lucky

Plus congrats to giveaway winners, and The Heard

CONGRATS!

Just one short item today — but before I get to it: Thanks to all who expressed interest in the Subscriber Appreciation Book Giveaway! The forces of chance1 selected Rebecca W. in New Mexico to receive Rest Easy, and Tanya B. (of the National Writing Project, which looks awesome!), to receive The Country of the Blind. You are going to love these excellent books :)

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Cris Feliciano via Pexels

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LUCKY YOU

I’ve always found the advice to “make your own luck” pretty irritating. But I really dug a luck-related passage from a Wall Street Journal article (gift link) yesterday. It cites Richard Wiseman, a psychology professor at the University of Hertfordshire and author of The Luck Factor (which obviously I have not read):

“Conjure a positive, expansive outlook by creating a ‘luck diary,’ Wiseman says. Record a good thing that happened that day, or something bad from the past that’s not happening anymore.”

I like this as a twist on the more familiar “gratitude diary” practice. Luck, as an idea, is underrated. Thinking about it requires a different degree of self-reflection — and, I suspect, humility.

Wiseman apparently argues that the “luck diary” creates positive and “contagious” emotions that will rub off on others in ways that benefit you. I dunno. I just like the idea of paying conscious attention to, and appreciating, good luck. It seems positive and challenging at the same time.

The article continues:

“Next, try eating a new food, watching a movie you wouldn’t normally watch or rearranging your furniture. You’re showing yourself that you’re a flexible person, Wiseman says. Unlucky people tend to see just one way forward. Lucky people set a goal but stay open to various ways of getting there.”

Can luck really be cultivated through such exercises? I do not know. But the exercises seem useful either way; I like the idea of trying something new framed as a chance to find some luck. And surely being more open to good luck can’t hurt.

I do, for certain, believe that luck matters — not least because, as I need to remind myself more often, I’ve been lucky many times, more than I deserve.

(Also, I think there’s an icebreaker in here somewhere — “What’s the luckiest thing that ever happened to you?” or the luckiest thing this year, or some such.)

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THE HEARD

Sharing one randomly overheard song that I’ve enjoyed lately: Little unexpected bursts of delightful music are definitely things I savor.

From a recent episode of The Sounds In My Head:

After hearing this, I sent it to a friend who has a new pair of young cats — and he ignored me lol! Still, I like it :)

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HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

• As always, I value your feedback (suggestions, critiques, positive reinforcement, constructive insults, etc.), as well as your tips or stories or personal noticing rituals, things we need a word for, and of course your icebreakers: consumed@robwalker.net. Or use the comments.

And thanks for reading …
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All this by Rob Walker PO Box 171, 748 Mehle St., Arabi LA 70032 

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