Lucky You! Why Life's Setbacks Might Be Your Biggest Wins

Sometimes, it feels like the world is against us. We dwell on our misfortunes and convince ourselves we're the unluckiest person alive. We might wish for different choices or outcomes, only to blame bad luck when things don't go our way. While luck and random chance play a role in our lives, a simple truth often goes unnoticed: sometimes, not getting what we want is a hidden blessing in disguise.

We often want something so badly that when it doesn't happen, we feel frustrated and defeated. But in many cases, what seems like a loss at the moment turns out to be a redirection toward something even better. This applies to every aspect of life, from careers to relationships.

For example, I once reached out to someone in the poetry community to do a spoken word feature. At the time, I had been performing at open mics and landing features elsewhere, but I was eager to establish myself in my hometown of Las Vegas. I sent my resume, followed up, and waited. Nothing. Frustrated but determined, I reached out again. This time, the response was blunt:

"I don't know who you are; I know everyone in this city. I need you to do 15 open mics so I can see you with my own eyes and decide if you can handle the mic. That's how it works here."

That rejection hit hard. I could have let it drag me down, questioning my worth as a performer and writer. Instead, I kept writing and performing, and a few months later, I booked a spoken word feature in Reno. From there, the opportunities kept coming. If I had done what that person said, I would have missed out on opponents like performing in Chicago, which had always been my dream. What felt like bad luck at the time turned out to be one of the best things that could have happened to me.

When we face setbacks, our first instinct is often to react emotionally. But if we take a step back and let things unfold, we may realize that what seemed like misfortune was actually leading us toward something more significant. Think about relationships. A painful breakup can feel like the end of the world...until, months or years later, you meet someone who truly values and respects you. What once felt like heartbreak became the best thing that ever happened to you.

The key to handling setbacks is resisting the urge to view them as pure misfortune. That's easier said than done, especially for those of us who struggle with mental health. When bad things happen, they can trigger past traumas, making us feel like we're stuck in a never-ending cycle of bad luck. But in these moments, we have to ask ourselves: do we want our life story to be a tragedy or a story of redemption?

For most of my life, I viewed my story as a tragedy. My childhood trauma shaped my decisions, and I convinced myself that luck was never on my side. But when I hit rock bottom with my mental health, I realized that I had the power to rewrite my story. It took years of work, and I still made mistakes along the way, but slowly, I shifted my mindset. As I embraced self-growth, things began to change. Was it pure luck? Or had opportunities always been there, and I was too focused on my struggles to see them?

Finding a hundred-dollar bill on the street? That's luck. Having the wind blow a hundred-dollar bill out of your hands? That's bad luck. But navigating life's challenges? That's about choices. There will always be highs and lows, wins and losses. When we find ourselves in the valleys of life, we can either dwell on our perceived misfortune or use those moments to reflect, grow, and take action. That's how we make our own luck.

We only get one shot to take chances, make mistakes, and chase success. Some choices won't work out, and luck will have nothing to do with them. But in those moments of "bad luck," we can find our inner strength, make adjustments, and create opportunities for "good luck" to find us.

Whether you believe in luck or not, the one thing you must believe in is yourself. Life isn't about waiting for a lucky break; it's about making the most of what's in front of you. We can mourn the doors that close, or we can build a house full of new ones. The truth is, luck doesn't define us; our resilience does. And when we stop chasing luck and start creating our own opportunities, we realize that every so-called misfortune is just life's way of pushing us toward something greater.