Superstitions Aren’t Real… Knock On Wood

Humans have always been superstitious; it’s part of our nature. It’s in the way we carry ourselves on a day-to-day basis and in our reactions to all the unknowns in life. 

Superstitions are often rooted in beliefs that we can’t explain. When something can’t be explained, we create our own truth. We have a tendency to interpret things in a way that reinforces these beliefs and, in turn, convinces us that these simple things have a much deeper meaning. But honestly, do any of us even know why they’re there? When did we decide that these certain things were good or bad luck anyway?

Whether it’s hitting every green light on the drive to work and knowing you'll have a good shift or rain on your wedding day, guaranteeing you a long and healthy marriage, our superstitions unconsciously influence our perception more than we realize. 

They’re the little instincts in our head that make us conscious of our surroundings, specifically whenever we see something that has meaning to us. Some people find comfort in believing in these superstitions, despite the stigma around them. Others think that they’re silly and meaningless.

Most of these superstitious beliefs were all born in our childhood or formative years. Finding a four-leaf clover at recess gave you good luck, and you had to avoid cracks on the sidewalk, or else you’d break your mother’s back. 

We genuinely believe that we have to adhere to these certain rules we’ve created in our head or else something bad will happen—But why? 

The same goes for things we consider to be good luck, like repeatedly seeing the same numbers or good fortune when wearing a certain pair of socks. Superstitions mean something different to everyone—and we interpret these things as good luck depending on what they mean to us.

At a certain point, we must become aware of the fact that these superstitions have the ability to evolve into fixations — and they can affect day-to-day lives. If you walked underneath a ladder last week and then your fish died a few days later, that doesn’t mean it was your fault. Sh*t happens. 

The truth is that none of these superstitious habits have any real basis because they’re not rooted in reality but rather rooted in an idea we’ve created in our heads. It’s inevitable that we’ll see things and interpret them as bad or good, but it doesn’t have to be so dichotomous one way or the other. There’s bad luck, good luck, and everything in between.

Strike Out,

Elise Archer

Boca Raton

Elise Archer is a Content Writer for Strike Magazine Boca. She loves being inspired almost as much as she loves inspiring. She has a passion for everything creative- and she’s a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. If you can’t reach her, she’s either busy shopping, lost somewhere, or writing.  But if you would like to: elisearcher111@gmail.com or on Instagram @elisearcherr