What does the "Lucky Girl" life look like? I tried it and discovered more than just manifestation techniques.
We all have that one friend who always seems to win in life. You might consider them the veritable “It Girl” (or guy) in your group. Whether it’s a promotion at work, scoring winning numbers in the lottery, or just receiving good news in general, they always have good news to share ’cause everything seems to go right for them. And if you don’t have one, you’re probably that friend. Lucky you! Sounds like you’ve got some manifestation techniques down.
But what if you can manufacture that life for yourself? Cue the Lucky Girl Syndrome. People all around the world have been giving this TikTok-viral trend a whirl, and you’d be shocked at the results. They vary from opportune moments that work out in an individual’s favour to whole lives being changed in nearly an instant. It sounds like a stretch, I know. But when there’s so much buzz around it, I had to do a deep dive to see what the fuss is about.
The original “Lucky Girl” explains it to us
Coined by Laura Galebe, Lucky Girl Syndrome centres on the idea that everything around you seems to fall into place perfectly. It’s otherwise known as pronoia, the exact opposite of paranoia. Pronoia is a state of mind where you believe everything is working with you, instead of against you. A lucky girl has opportunities come to her. And if something doesn’t go her way, she knows there are better things in the wings. Because she believes that’s how life works out.
It follows the basic mechanisms of manifestation – just put together in a prettier package. Its simplicity is likely the reason for the huge uptick. Rather than discussing the meta concepts of speaking to the universe and the convoluted law of assumption, the Lucky Girl Syndrome is relatable. Being lucky is all based on your narrative.
Call me a trend follower, but I do believe in manifestation. You might’ve seen this concept floating around during your late-night TikTok scrolling. And I wouldn’t blame you if you scrolled away in the first 10 seconds. It’s hard to take some of the videos seriously when creators talk about having conversations with the universe. But seeing as this concept is so simple to follow, I couldn’t help but give it a shot.
Lucky girl world, here I come
First things first: research. I allow my TikTok algorithm to do its thing and take me to the land of lucky girls. Just like manifestation, these techniques come in many forms. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. It can be written, visual, or even auditory in nature.
Since I love writing (shocking, I know), I decided on written methods that involve a pen and paper. An easy way to perfect the mindset is to incorporate it into everyday life. Getting to the office before the rain? Lucky. Snagging the very last tray of sushi at the supermarket for dinner? Lucky. Finding a new shirt I love that’s on sale? You get the idea.
I already do the occasional nighttime journaling, so I focused on incorporating lucky girl techniques like scripting into my usual habits. I started with the small stuff to get the ball rolling. For example, I recognise I’m privileged enough to be doing this in the comfort of my home. I’m lucky that all my basic needs are met so I don’t have to worry about survival. Not forgetting the healthy support system that allows me to be myself, quirks and all. Honestly? The ripple effects of this mindset truly put my life into a new perspective.
Oh hello, Lady Luck
Maybe it’s because I’ve been practising manifestation for a year, but the lucky girl techniques were easily woven into my life. I spent more time being mindful of situations, and I saw the fruits of my labour way earlier than I anticipated.
My Sunday mahjong game had me starting off really strong. I won almost every round in the first half of the game (much to my grandma’s dismay). While I’ve had my good mahjong days, it was curious how I started winning immediately after practising the techniques.
I’ve been told that in manifestation, visualising a goal is only half the equation. You have to be willing to take the step forward to reach it, should the opportunity arise. A perfect example is how I craved seaweed popiah crackers for Chinese New Year, thinking I wouldn’t be able to find them. Two weeks later, we got a surprise message from a brand that offered to send some to the Honeycombers office! Of course, I said yes. A coincidence? Maybe. But it’s a pretty damn delicious one.
What sealed the deal was my encounter with a jagua artist. I’ve been having a hard time committing to a tattoo, one part due to the pain factor, and another because of my worry that I wouldn’t look good with one. So, I thought it’d be nice to have a trial run before throwing a chunk of change to get the art done. Then, in came a recent reconnection with jagua cones in hand offering to do a quick tattoo for me. Damn, Lady Luck sure delivers.
Lucky Girl Syndrome: Same life, new exciting lens
While good things started happening to me, it has less to do with manufactured luck and more about perception. I began noticing lucky moments because I was making the effort to look out for them. But those moments were always going to exist; I just needed to sift them out and say yes as opportunities came my way.
Critics have a lot to say against Lucky Girl Syndrome. They claim it’s smug, unrealistic, and leaves people complacent. I argue it isn’t a source of toxic positivity. On the surface, it may seem like another trend demanding you to look at the brighter side of life. But go deeper and you’ll find nuances that go unnoticed. To me, it’s about learning to appreciate the good things and being mindful of them, no matter how small they might be. Whether an opportunity is amazing or not is completely subjective and up to you to determine.
My experience saw plenty of positive outcomes. But my position is privileged enough to even practice Lucky Girl Syndrome. It’s a lot easier to see the rosy things when you aren’t caught in a dumpster fire. However, navigating that delicate intersectionality is perhaps a discussion for another day.
To paraphrase the legendary Mika in his hit song Blame It On The Girls, maybe your perspective on life just needs a tweak. I can’t promise your life will change, but you’ll see what’s greener on your side.
To answer your burning question: no, pronoia didn’t change my life. But I don’t think it was ever meant to. My life goes the way I want thanks to my effort and hard work. Lucky Girl Syndrome just helped me see how much there is to love about it.
