Many people think of luck as a game of chance, the mere outcome of probability, and scoff at the idea of good-luck charms. But about 30% of Americans carry a good-luck penny, and most people practise little rituals to encourage the fates to smile on them.
Research shows that people are capable of influencing their own “good luck” with a bit of effort. It might sound like magic, but the secret is in one’s attitude.
Lucky people tend to be more open-minded, cheerful and easygoing. This makes them more open to seeing opportunities and acting on them.
When people focus on their problems, their negative focus draws attention away from the things they want in life, and reinforces the belief that they are doomed to be unlucky.
Experiments show that when people are given a “lucky” item such as a pen, they tend to do better on tests. Others show how those with negative attitudes often miss obvious opportunities and rewards.
Clinical hypnosis is a natural tool for reprogramming your unconscious mind. Just one visit to a clinical hypnotherapist can help change your attitude and focus on what you desire.
There is an area in the midbrain called the reticular activating system, a bundle of nerves that helps you focus on things that are important to you. When it does, the rest of your brain sends instructions for behaviours and thoughts that create reality out of what you are thinking. This is why thinking about bad luck very possibly creates bad luck!
The good news is, by using focused hypnosis you can rewire this part of your brain and shift your focus on what you want. And this can naturally reduce distractions caused by the negative thinking that has been holding you back.
Clinical hypnosis helps you befriend your unconscious by learning how to reduce anxiety and silence the critical voice that causes you to obsess about what could go wrong or how you might fail.
As you become more in tune with your unconscious, you will start to receive clues to your advantage. These can be very subtle, such as a gut feeling; or they can be much more direct, such as a dream or even a deep conviction on how to act.
How it works
Clinical hypnosis works in several different ways. The experience is very relaxing, so anxiety and worry naturally start to melt away. As you relax, you start feeling an overall sense of positive wellbeing.
The next step is to teach your mind how to focus on what you want. The best way to communicate to your unconscious mind is through your imagination.
Lucky people naturally imagine the outcomes they desire, but some people need a little bit of help. A clinical hypnotherapist will show them how to imagine the things they want and bolster feelings of confidence and positivity.
Another easy strategy is to train your critical voice to become your ally. With a bit of training this extremely observant part of your brain can be directed to look out for opportunities, evaluate them, and bring them naturally and gently to your attention.
Research suggests that lucky people are always open to change. They often vary their routines, meet people in different places, and create changes in the way they work.
They also consciously consider themselves lucky, which makes them more observant of their environment and more open to seeing opportunities.
This is largely thanks to the reticular activating system, which helps a person observe patterns in the real world. Neurons identify subtle connections, pay attention to timing, predict statistically accurate opportunities, and continually hone predictions.
An open and positive attitude enables your brain to work at making you lucky.
FREE OFFER! The London School of Clinical Communications and Hypnosis is running a workshop on Jan 26 on how to increase your personal good luck. There are 10 FREE places for FMT readers. To register, click here and use the code FMT2022.
Sheila Menon is the Principal of the London College of Clinical Hypnosis (LCCH) in Asia and Australia, and the CEO of the LSCCH Therapy Centre.