You can call it good luck, or cause and effect, or whatever you want. But you know that some people have more good things happen in their lives, and more happy surprises. What you may not know is that there are things you can do to be more like them and so be luckier yourself. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Don't Take Advice From Your Fears

Letting fear make decisions is a bad habit that is sure to get in the way of having more luck in your life. Acting from fear also sabotages your self-growth. Did you know that Johnny Carson had stage-fright every night before he went on the air? He stepped out there anyhow, and enjoyed doing the Tonight Show for decades. Fear is just a feeling. Move forward despite it.

Relaxed Goal Setting

Committing yourself to specific goals too soon can backfire. This is because a goal has to be seen in context of all our other goals and values. For example, when I used to write down specific financial targets, I accomplished them, but I made myself miserable doing so. Many people find that they are happier if they take a clear direction, and then let the goals formulate themselves in time. Setting goals and writing them down is a powerful way to make progress, but it's up to you to decide when specific goals are appropriate.

Breath Deep

Take several deep breaths through your nose from time to time. Close your eyes, pay attention to your breathing, and let the tension drain from your muscles while doing this. This is like a mini-meditation.

Mouth-breathing expands your chest, but if you breath through your nose you'll notice how your abdomen extends. You see, nose-breathing causes the diaphragm to pull air to the bottom of your lungs. This delivers a good dose of oxygen into your bloodstream and brain. It also tends to relax you. Relaxed and thinking better - that's a recipe for good luck.

Forget The Paranormal Explanations

Many people are looking for paranormal explanations for luck, and for related phenomena like intuition and creativity. But why? There are good psychological explanations for why some people are luckier than others that have nothing to do with psychic abilities. There are exercises that have been shown to improve one's luck whether or not we have a decent explanation yet.

Why do people need an appeal to the paranormal? Perhaps part of the reason is that if psychic powers could bring you luck, it would be easier than making changes in how you think and act. There is nothing wrong with looking for an easier way - as long as the search does not become an excuse for not taking the steps that are proven to work.

In Richard Wiseman's ten-year study of lucky people, he found definite differences between lucky and unlucky people. What he didn't find, however, was any indication of anything paranormal. He says, "I've found plenty of evidence of unscientific approaches to data, but have never come across a paranormal experiment that can be replicated."

For example, he found that people described by themselves and others as lucky were not any more likely to win the lottery. No surprise there - a lottery is random chance. On the other hand, people who are considered lucky can win more often in business or love or even artistic endeavors, and without paranormal powers. They simply think and act in ways that promote a better outcome - they apply principles of good luck.