A Joyous Perspective on Luck: When the computer doesn't pick our numbers...

Tonight at the Friday Night Thought Tale Hour with the Henderson's, we are ending a week when the big Lottery topped a billion dollars in a prize. As crazy as it was to consider even, as many of you, we too purchased a ticket and took a chance. And when, like everyone but the three folks who had the right numbers, we didn't hit the jackpot, we chuckled and moved on. But it got me thinking about the subject of luck and being lucky. Is there such a thing as being lucky? Are some people truly more fortunate than others, gifted with a mysterious predisposition toward regular good fortune? And what does that mean for the rest of us? Are we all doomed to face the worst possible outcome at every roll of the dice? 

Why didn't the computer pick our numbers?

Alternatively, is the whole thing just an illusion born out of random circumstance? And, most tantalizingly of all, is it something we can create for ourselves?Consider those three souls whose lives have now been dramatically altered. You wish it to be someone who needs this money (although who NEEDS that much?) or that they've lived a life full of bad luck and now their luck has changed. When favorable events repeatedly occur against the odds, we attribute it to good luck; likewise, when things take a turn for the worst and misfortune seems to strike us when we are least able to handle it, we curse our bad luck.

But the change was of their making, and it's of our action too.

Notice that this pattern of thinking attributes our fortune and misfortune to external factors that seem beyond our control. This attitude diminishes our ability to effect genuine change and alleviates us of our responsibility to take control of events. The computer randomly chooses our numbers, right?

While the occurrence of any event likely involves some degree of random chance, by attributing it to luck, we fail to credit ourselves for establishing the circumstances that allowed the decisive event to occur in the first place. They had to buy a ticket. They had to take a chance.

The clover won't pick itself.

Now before you accuse me of encouraging gambling, there's a flip side...

When things don't swing your way, we might thoughtlessly curse our bad luck following an unfortunate turn of events. But like those people who find themselves in a better circumstance, we likely have done or not done something that created the glitch. We lose the opportunity to consider whether our actions may have caused the misfortune. Luck is an illusion. While we cannot control everything that happens, by breaking the habit of attributing things to luck, we can embrace our ability to make positive change for the future. To be responsible, not lucky.

Here are some ways to change the 

outlook on your luck or lack of it:

• Try to raise your awareness of new possibilities and endeavor to act upon them. 
• Expect good fortune to come to you, and remember to give yourself the credit when it does. Consider which actions led to your success, and plan to repeat them.
• When things don’t work out as you intended, remain positive and ask yourself: What you will do differently next time? Perhaps even consider whether the misfortune could be a blessing in disguise. 

Dalai selfie

“Sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.” - Dalai Lama 

Make your own luck.

By dismissing the illusion of luck and embracing our own ability to change our lives for the better, we are empowered to such a degree that we can be said to make our own luck. Far from being a mystical power that is out of our control, or something that can be stored in amulets or charms, this new kind of luck comes from deep within ourselves. It is something we have created with nothing more than a shift in perspective.

Tomorrow, Be Lucky

Even if you don't ever purchase a Power Ball ticket, you can still find those opportunities to change your life, and take them by the horns. I encourage you to

Hard work has brought me luck.

embrace this new outlook with an open-heart and let go of the negativity and powerlessness associated with the cycle of luck. So tonight, we are toasting to making our own luck. I made something called "A Lucky Lady," because even though I'm not a millionaire, I often marvel at my good fortune. And so friend, should you. Because challenges are unavoidable in life, but those who consider themselves makers of their own luck set themselves up for success and happiness. CHEERS, FRIENDS!

Lucky Lady Cocktail**

1 oz. apple brandy

1 oz. orange liqueur

1 oz. orange juice

Crushed ice

Place everything in a shaker and shake hard. Strain into a glass. Garnish with an apple peel and an apple slice.

**Always drink responsibly. Never drive after drinking alcohol.