By Nicholle Chandler
The brain doesn’t like to be wrong.
It will decide on something (negative or positive) and then spend time looking for reasons to back that thought up. It’s called psychological consistency.
Emily Fletcher, the author of “Stress Less, Accomplish More,” held a global meditation on Instagram a year ago. The lesson was on luck. It was all about seeing luck differently and using affirmations to make our brain back it up.
“You are what you say you are. The trick? You have to believe it,” she said as I stared at my phone with about 200 other people from around the world.
Belief is powerful but not always easy. As I continued to listen, I reflected on my mental health journey. When we struggle with depression and anxiety, our brain will prove the lies that depression tells us.
And we all know depression is a lying bastard.
Those lies put us in the wheel of endless rumination and spiraling down in a black hole of doom. I’ve been there. I still sometimes go there. It’s not fun. Nothing lucky or positive comes from thoughts that are stuck in a scary black hole.
Emily invited us to practice an exercise for the next seven days to get us into a mindset of luck and positive beliefs. It’s called Dump, Affirm, Manifest.
Here’s the practice:
DUMP – For one minute, dump/rant out all the things bogging you down. It might sound like this: “I am so sick of this weather. I hate my job. I need new friends. I can’t stand my loud neighbor!” etc. It’s pretty easy to rant during these times. LET IT RIP!
(If you don’t feel the need to rant, then skip step one.)
AFFIRM – After your one minute rant, take a deep breath and say:
“I am the luckiest person I know. Lucky things happen to me. I am lucky.”
MANIFEST – Part of luck is getting very clear on what you want, why you want it and saying it aloud. Sit in the feeling of already having it. Write it out in your journal or say it out loud to yourself.
During my rant that day, not only did it feel good to yell aloud the things that were upsetting me, but surprisingly, I started laughing. Venting them out loud to an empty apartment (except my dog Max – he did look at me curiously), I began to hear my Inner Brat, and a smile miraculously formed in the chaos. It was nice to be able to laugh at her finally. (Curious about the Inner Brat? Read “Maybe it’s You” by Lauren Zander.)
If you still aren’t feeling lucky after the seven days, Emily suggests being someone else’s luck. Buy someone coffee, leave a stranger a note, tip too much or pull a favor for someone “just because.” The act of creating luck for others may give you insights into how fortunate you are.
After doing this for seven days, I won the land lottery, passed the National Board Exam and a potential buyer for my stores expressed interest.
I am lucky.
Lucky things happen to me.
I am the luckiest person I know.
XO,
– Cole
Nicholle Chandler, NBC-HWC, is a National Board Certified Functional Health & Wellness Coach, meditation teacher, fitness instructor and local business owner. Go to colebeecoaching.com for more information.
