Maddie Dinnage
If you’re a regular TikTok user, you’ve probably heard of the latest trend doing the rounds. “Lucky Girl Syndrome” is a manifestation tactic which promises to better your life through positive thought patterns. But our question is, does it actually work?
What is #LuckyGirlSyndrome?
#LuckyGirlSyndrome currently boasts 831.7 million views, linking countless videos which describe how to fulfil your wildest dreams simply by harnessing the power of the mind. Among the users engaging in this trend a majority are young women. The videos themselves tend to share affirmations such as “I get everything I want” and “I am so lucky”.
Many advocates for this trend share their successes which they credit to the power of Lucky Girl Syndrome. They profess that, by adopting a positive mindset and believing in the power of luck, they have opened themselves to an increase in health, happiness, and wealth. Some report having received dream job offers, developments in their romantic life, and financial prosperity.
The Origins of Lucky Girl Syndrome
Lucky Girl Syndrome is the latest iteration of the law of attraction, which suggests that by thinking positive thoughts we attract positive rewards. This spiritual principle originated within ancient religious practices, crediting the Buddha as its originator. The founder of Buddhism famously stated that “all that we are is a result of what we have thought”. Because of this, the law of attraction finds resonance within several examples of Buddhist writings.
“we each have the power to shape our own reality”
However, it has not always had this name. It was not until the 19th century that wider society adopted this mode of thinking. Helena Blavatsky is considered a significant pioneer of this movement, as her book The Secret Doctrine claimed that we each have the power to shape our own reality, and are limited only by restrictive thought processes.
The Law of Attraction remains prevalent today, with celebrities such as Will Smith and Conor McGregor praising the limitless potential of its use. This concept, born from religious teachings, has become a global phenomenon. It often overlaps with many other psychological phenomena, such as the self-fulfilling prophecy or the Rosenthal effect. These patterns of thinking have been rebranded time and time again.
Lucky Girl Syndrome: Life hack or toxic positivity?
So, thinking your way to a better life has always been a common practice and seems simple enough. Popular techniques involve making goal-oriented mood boards and repeating daily affirmations. The trend is praised for making positive manifestation more accessible than ever. However, it fails to equip users for the inevitable; what happens if things don’t go our way?
“Lucky girl syndrome doesn’t account for the contextual circumstances”
The key word here is luck. This phenomenon is tied up with the idea that positive things will happen to us, as long as we believe them into existence. Lucky Girl Syndrome doesn’t account for the contextual circumstances which can hold some people at a disadvantage, such as institutional racism and financial income. By scrolling through the hashtag, it becomes clear that a majority of these “lucky girls” are conventionally attractive, white women.
It’s important to acknowledge the ways in which race, gender, sexuality, and social class endow many people with privilege. This leads to the reduction of barriers in the pursuit of happiness and success. Because of this, reliance upon luck can potentially lead to the internalization of blame, in which we start feeling responsible for our own failures. We begin to believe that we are to blame for the negative things which happen to us purely because we didn’t manifest hard enough.
The Power of Positive Thinking
“our daydreams are plagued by worst-case scenarios”
While reliance upon luck can lead to toxic positivity, it’s worth considering the potential benefits of thinking optimistically. As humans, we are hardwired to feel the effects of negative events more drastically than positive ones; it’s a matter of biology. This evolutionary outcome is designed to protect us from vulnerable experiences. Our brains draw upon past traumas to encourage a worldview centred upon self-preservation. As a result, we tend to focus more strongly on our failures, while our daydreams are plagued by worst-case scenarios.
To counteract our own negativity bias, we must consciously condition ourselves to adopt positive thought patterns. This can mean celebrating even the smallest of wins, like enjoying a tasty breakfast or finding your new favourite book. By making the effort to notice the good things that happen, we take away the power of our negative mindsets.
#LuckyGirlSyndrome: Worth the Hype?
While Lucky Girl Syndrome is just another iteration of the “law of attraction”, it doesn’t seem to be doing much harm. Most followers of the trend use this concept to fulfil small-scale goals, such as a promotion at work. Who can blame them? In our current social climate, we could all use a little bit of hope.
“a lot of content creators care more about views than helping you reach your goals”
However, it is important to be critical when we encounter these short-lived, online fads. A majority of the time, they fail to acknowledge the impact of institutional prejudices, subtly placing the impacts of social ills upon the individual. Remain aware that, ultimately, a lot of content creators care more about views than helping you reach your goals.
Featured image courtesy of Atikh Bana on Unsplash. Image license can be found here. No changes were made to this image.
madelainedinnage
Third-Year studying BA English at the University of Nottingham. Passionate about social justice journalism!! Also writing for two university magazines as well as Nottingham’s culture magazine, LeftLion ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥