According to psychologists you should be lucky, too

Aug 13, 2007 18:11 GMT  ·  By

Everybody says that health is the most important thing. But a little bit of luck could do more. Many victims of earthquakes or airplane crashes can be very healthy, indeed?

Psychologists say that a certain type of behavior favors luck. Others say that luck is by the side of those who take their chances. The next tips are given by psychologists:

1. Imagine that luck is on your side. You have to behave in such a manner as if you expected only good things to happen to you every day, not just from time to time. Optimism is the key.

"If you're convinced that you're a lucky person, you will have a behavior which will determine those around you to be more receptive with your person," said Martin Seligman, Psychology Professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

2. Try to control your negative emotions. Shyness, fury and resentments turn people against us. How to oppress them? First, look for the cause of those emotions, in order to stop them before they control you. If you succeed, you'll have a better opinion about yourself, you'll be more optimistic and more extroverted.

Change the way you see difficult colleagues: "X is very good at her job, even if she is short-tempered."

3. Stay open for new opportunities. We don't know what will happen, but we can improve our chance by training, putting more trust in people and in the fact that good things will happen to us due to this.

For instance, some do not share their ideas with their workmates fearing that their ideas will be stolen. But if you keep amazing ideas just for yourself, they won't be good for anybody. It is honest people that are actually appreciated.

4. Manage expectations. Set clear and realistic goals with your colleagues and clients, but be prepared: these can change. If demands overwhelm you and timescales become unrealistic, deal with the situation. Communicate your worries to your team.

5. Do not believe the world is yours. You won't be luckier if you stay home. If you're invited to certain events, enjoy the moments. Exploiting them, you can improve your luck. Be always ready, be prepared to make mistakes.

We will gain more by learning than if we stay isolated or we are not interested in what's going around.

6. Find an escape. Go to the movies or gym, retreat to the country; shifting your focus brings mental and physical relief. You'll come back with a fresh perspective, ready to tackle your problems.

7. Take charge. Worrying can keep you alert, but wallowing is pointless. Accept what you can't do and get on with what you are capable of. Don't panic when everything seems to have gone wrong. Talk to people. Sharing your concerns with colleagues who've been through the same experiences will offer you insight and coping strategies, decreasing anxiety.

8. Do not envy the others. Those that obsessively compare their life with the others end up being unhappy. For instance, if you're obsessed with the fact that somebody was promoted at the office, you will feel like a loser.

Nothing guarantees that the person is happy. In most cases, promotions bring about more headaches. What's ideal for others is not necessarily for you, too. Just focus on your own goals and desires.

9. The more people you know, the more pleasant and prone to luck you are. Why? Because if we interact with powerful people they can share some information and introduce you to important persons.

Many feel it is complicated to make friendships with such people and prefer staying home and party with close friends. It is actually much easier to keep in touch with such people, through e-mails or postcards sent on certain occasions.

The more people you know, the more opportunities you will have.

10. See the good part of the things. To be lucky, you should look at the past from a positive angle and at the present with optimism. People that pretend they're lucky remember more often the good experiences in their life than the bad ones.

If something bad happens to them, they compare it with their worst situation from which they managed to come out winning.