Feeling Lucky?

I’m the luckiest girl in the world, and everything always works out for me.

Have you seen the “I’m so lucky” or “lucky girl syndrome” trend on TikTok? If so, skip to the

next paragraph. If not, let me fill you in. A New York influencer introduced this concept in 2023. Technically, this trend is no longer trending. But, hey, with St. Patrick’s Day 2025 around the corner, why not get back to feeling lucky?

Now, let me introduce you to the neuroscience behind ‘lucky girl syndrome.’ Mhm, you read that correctly; lucky girl syndrome is rooted in science! Oh, and if you master the practice, evidence suggests it works!

Pretty cool, right?

Before we get into the science, let’s clear something up. Lucky Girl Syndrome isn’t about luck at all. It’s all in your head (literally your brain) and fueled by intention. So, contrary to popular belief, it is the opposite of luck.

Oh, and since this concept applies to everyone, not just the girlies, I will start calling it Lucky Person Syndrome from now on.

So, what is the science here? Lucky Person Syndrome is the practice of self-affirmation

theory. Proposed by Claude Steele in 1988, the self-affirmation theory suggests that people are motivated to maintain a positive self-image. When their integrity is challenged, they resist those threats to protect their self-view (Cascio et al., 2016).

Let me give you an example. I take pride in being reliable. This week, I was late getting a copy of my column to the editor of the Highlander (sorry, Matthew). When the deadline passed, and I wasn’t finished, instead of seeing my tardiness as a sign of unreliability, I reminded myself of all the other deadlines I had met that week. I also reminded myself that being reliable means being realistic and honest. So, I acknowledged that I’m generally reliable and timely, and I owned my mistake by communicating an alternative deadline with Matthew. I used the self-affirmation that I am generally reliable and timely to counteract the threat to my self-image of being perceived as unreliable or lazy.

Okay, you get it.

But how does the self-affirmation theory relate to being the luckiest person in the world?

A study from the University of Pennsylvania (2016) found that self-affirmation activates key areas of your brain linked to self-worth and feeling rewarded. Using brain scans, researchers discovered that specific brain regions became more active when people reflected on their core values, especially with a future-focused mindset (i.e., everything works out for me).

Stay with me!

That leads us to your reticular activating system (RAS). Yup! You have one of those. You can think of your RAS as your brain’s personal filter. It decides what information is essential and what information should be ignored. It cuts out all the noise. I was recently listening to a podcast episode where influencers Jake Shane and Mel Robins referred to the RAS as your brain’s personal ‘For You’ page on TikTok. You are in control of your brain’s unique algorithm.

So, when you are practicing the self-affirmation theory and repeating an affirmation like: I’m the luckiest person in the world, and everything always works out for me, your RAS is looking for proof that the affirmation is true! Instead of focusing on obstacles in your way, you start noticing opportunities that support your affirmation. Seizing those opportunities turns the practice into something active and intentional. Again, not luck at all.

In The 5 Second Rule (2017), Mel Robbins uses the example of a red car to explain how the RAS works. She says that when you decide to buy a car, say, a red one, suddenly you start noticing red cars everywhere. It’s not that they weren’t there before; your brain just ignored them.

Has this ever happened to you? If not, let’s practice. Pick a specific make and model of a car right now. Okay, now look out, you’ll start seeing that car everywhere.

Whew. That was a lot.

Okay. So, are you ready to be the luckiest person in the world that everything works out for?

I challenge you to lean into the science and say I’m the luckiest person in the world, and

everything works out for me for the next 30 days. Wait, even better! Delete: I’m the luckiest person in the world, and just say everything works out for me.

Feeling lucky?

Nah. You’re feeling in control.

How is life now that everything is working out for you?