Two years ago I asked my FB friends to write me a list of up to six events / experiences to help me choose things I’d not yet done.
You make your own luck is Wiseman’s first principle in his “The Luck Factor”. You make luck partly by finding new experiences, things you’ve never done before, and people you’ve yet to meet. Friends and family recommended experiences:
- Find your local hobby shop and join a game of Dungeons and Dragons (role playing game)
- Clergy friend suggested: Go on a silent retreat at St Beunos
- Travelling sister suggested: Ride a camel. I did once day dream of riding a horse across the Mongolian plains. That discussion lead to sister recommending a place in Cape Verde where you can ride the horses and they have stunning deserted beaches and salt marshes.
- Accordian playing friend suggested: Learn to play a musical instrument.
- Neighbour: Learn to knit socks
Then a wise old friend commented that if I have to ask, then I’ve probably already done most things I want to do. Yes. I’ve ridden a camel, learned to play the piano and guitar, I can knit and don’t want to. I want to on keep on learning and making my luck, so in January 2020 I toodled along to the local games shop planning on joining in, and looked up St Beunos.
But then fate stepped in. You know about Covid – that b*ggered everything up, didn’t it? and I got diagnosed with breast cancer. So with that luck, I adapted my planned experiences.
- I learned not to knit socks, but to knit knockers! Knitting isn’t a retreat at St Beunos but is quite a mediative activity.
- I may not get to Cape Verde but a more achievable target is that I read Christina Dodwell’s books on travelling.
- Christmas 2020 lock down meant the family taught me about Discord, Among Us and online games together – such fun!
- I didn’t learn to play a new musical instrument but I did join a couple of online choirs and learned some much more about music and singing, and choral music. Those choirs mean I now have new singing friends in Canada, people to meet when I visit Ontario next year. Isn’t that lucky!
Even with lockdown, you can make your own luck and learn.