Miscellaneous Monday: What's your good luck charm/habit/tradition?

[Sam Nadarajan]

Next Sunday (at the time of this writing), many people around the United States, Ireland, and anyone looking for an excuse to party will be celebrating St Patrick's Day for numerous reasons. The history behind the day is pretty rich and worth a read (if you're struggling to start the week). 

One of the more well-known aspects of St Patrick's day (from a secular perspective) is the four-leaf clover. Clover generally produces 3 leaves - called shamrocks (fun fact,  four-leaf clovers are not shamrocks, only three-leaf clovers are shamrocks). If you find one, you are bound for some good luck because it's estimated that only about 1 in 10,000 clovers have four leaves!

I remember finding some in elementary school - and I thought it was the greatest thing ever. Whether there is a correlation between finding those four-leaf clovers long ago and some of the good things I have experienced is up for discussion. However, while I do not go looking for four-leaf clovers anymore (unless it is the marshmallow shape in a Lucky Charms cereal box) for good luck, I do certain things to bring myself good luck that don't necessarily require me to stay on my hands and knees for hours on end.

For example, whenever I am about to speak, I always wear my special Atlassian Team socks (before I got them it was another pair of socks):

Last week, I had the privilege of speaking at Team Tour Government in Washington DC, and yes, I wore these socks. I think my talk went well, and I can partly attribute it to my good luck charms pictured here. Of course, practicing for a month and a half before the talk might have played a role...but it's not as fun a story as having "lucky socks."

So let's hear it, what good luck charms do you have or good luck habits do you follow in preparation for something big in your life?

[Amanda Barber]

Great topic! I don't really have any lucky charms or good luck habits, but this was a fun post. My four-leaf clover memory is of my great-grandpa. He spotted four-leaf clovers every time we were outside. When he passed away, there were hundreds and hundreds of them around the house - pressed in books, etc. 🍀

[Sam Nadarajan]

Wow what a discovery @Amanda Barber! Your great-grandpa was your good luck charm it sounds. I would be ecstatic if I found hundred of pressed four leaf clovers around the house!

[Emily _ DevSamurai]

Wow I love the energy you are spreading here on the Community. It really is a kick off for this week to me. I also don't have any lucky charms. Guess mine is your post today haha. 

Have a good one! 

[Sam Nadarajan]

Aww thank you @Emily _ DevSamurai! This is your opportunity to create a lucky charm! If you do I want to hear about it!

[Ananjan_Mishra]

Hey @Sam Nadarajan , Your post made my day! It's like a lucky charm in itself. Speaking of lucky charms, I've got one that's pretty special. It's this watch that my loved ones gave me, and whenever I have an important meeting, I slip it on. It's like a little boost of confidence and peace of mind all rolled into one!

[Sam Nadarajan]

Hello @Ananjan_Mishra Thank you for the kind words! 

That's pretty cool that you have a watch as your lucky charm! I like it even better that it is on your wrist so it's more visible (unlike me who rarely looks down at my socks), so it's like a charm that keeps on giving throughout the day!

Your mention of a watch reminds me of my dad's watch that he wore for over 30 years. It was a SEIKO watch that a friend from college in India gifted him, and he wore that thing all while I was growing up. It was not a fancy watch by any means, and occasionally you would have to shake it to get it to keep time, but it carried deep value for him.

Hope your day and week is filled with confidence and peace!

[Barbara Szczesniak]

Hmmm, over the years I've had various tokens that were significant to me because of who gave them to me or the reason behind the giving, but I've never really thought of them as being for luck.

When I was a kid, a lot of people would carry what they called a "lucky rabbit's foot." I remember always thinking that it wasn't very lucky for the rabbit, so how could it help someone else? 😊🐇

[Sam Nadarajan]

@Barbara Szczesniak you bring up a good point. Of course when you say "rabbit's foot" I immediately go to Mission Impossible 1. There are moments during the gardening season where I wish I had a rabbit's foot (or several) instead of the rabbits, but I have plenty of fencing this year.

[Amanda Barber]

I remember those, too! Such a weird thing. :-D 

[ABR]

So true, @Barbara Szczesniak ! I felt the same way!

[Tyler Kosaski]

When approaching a bit event in my life, whether it be a job interview, important meeting, or life changing decision, I actively try to get in more exercise. As the responsibilities of adulthood have grown, I have found myself becoming more and more sedentary in my day-to-day activities. The workouts that I cram in during these times in my life give me numerous benefits. Besides the obvious health benefits, I have found it also sharpens and clears my mind, and gives me perfect opportunity to really think about the event ahead. 

[Sam Nadarajan]

Good luck charms do not have to be tangible objects, and this is proof of that - it also helps when research backs it up.

Do you have a specific exercise(s) that you do for big events that are you go to? If this was my good luck charm then leg exercises would be mine because I do not like leg day but I feel oh so much better afterwards!

[Summer Hogan]

Great topic @Sam Nadarajan! I passed you some Kudo's for such a great post! 

I don't necessarily have a good luck charm, but I have good luck numbers. When my husband was alive, he used to love playing Roulette and would always play the numbers 14 and 23. Since he passed away, those two numbers have followed me and shown up in many ways. Maybe in his honor I'll play some Roulette in Vegas and play 14 and 23! 
I also consider it good luck when I see a ladybug, which is rare in Arizona. 

[Sam Nadarajan]

Oh wow @Summer Hogan that is a pretty neat memory! I hope to be there in Vegas to see you win big with 14 and 23, and it's really neat that they continue to show up in mysterious ways.

Also, I never thought of ladybugs being rare in parts of the world but it makes sense! One time at my in-laws house in Pennsylvania we had an "infestation" where so many of them (unfortunately not alive) were found on window sills, edges of the carpet, corners, and flying around near the lights. If that happens here in Michigan I'll find a way to responsibly mail you some ;)

[Summer Hogan]

Aww, thanks @Sam Nadarajan! I can't wait to meet you at Team! 

[Teodora V _Fun Inc_]

I am also part of the no-lucky-charms community, which may be something I want to change. A special little item or gesture can really lift someone's mood and courage.  

One thing I can think about is my passion for ripped jeans. If I can go on stage with a fancy blazer jacket and ripped jeans, my confidence level is over 9000 :) It's just me being me, which always helps me in stressful situations. 

[Sam Nadarajan]

Ditto on the charm lifting moods @Teodora V _Fun Inc_ ! 

I think the ripped jeans are your lucky charm, or should I say style!? I think that's phenomenal and yes how much better the environments we live in can be when we can just be ourselves! 

I hope our paths cross one day, because I would totally love to see what a confidence level >9000 would be - an inspired and inspiring Teodora sounds like an awesome place to be :D

[Teodora V _Fun Inc_]

Oh wow, I am flattered @Sam Nadarajan 😳

I hope we meet somewhere around the world, preferably at an Atlassian event!

[Sajit Nair _Trundl_]

@Sam Nadarajan , Knowing Teo, I can surely say you are in for a treat when you meet her.  Btw, aren't you both going to be at Team24 ?

[Sajit Nair _Trundl_]

Lucky socks are definitely real!
All my ecosystem socks are special as I juggle between them anytime I am on the stage speaking.. P.S - I have the same socks that Mark C gave me but I've safely kept them in mint condition.
Will probably never wear them until I have another pair (have the same rule for a pair of AirJordans as well.) 
I also have a cricket match socks (took 5wickets once in them).. and some travelling socks. :D 
You can never have enough luck! 

thanks for sharing Sam.

[Sam Nadarajan]

@Sajit Nair _Trundl_ you're absolutely right! When I get a 2nd pair of lucky socks I may double up on them before big presentations ;)

If you are going to keep them in mint condition, we need to get you a frame to put your socks in, then you can just take the frame with you wherever you go, then your luck goes with you and you are still "using" them am I right?

We'll see you at Team!

[ABR]

I have a special lucky charm, I use to get out of any tight spot - the locket of my patron saint! Whether I'm alone late night and cannot find conveyance to return home or stuck in a jam with the meeting deadline looming large or unable to find something I really need - all I have to do is ask, hold on to the locket and call upon his name! 

He's never let me down - and I'm always deeply grateful!

[Sam Nadarajan]

That's pretty awesome @ABR I'm glad you have been able to get out of some tight situations! I feel like every day I am always looking for something I need, because it's easy to "misplace" things in a house with a toddler!

Hope your week is going well :)

[Shawn Doyle - ReleaseTEAM]

I am a man of habits.  Not sure any of them are based on luck.  When flying Southwest I do have a "lucky" seat, one that more often than not awards me with an empty middle seat.

[Sam Nadarajan]

@Shawn Doyle - ReleaseTEAM this feels lucky especially given Southwest Airline's boarding process. Shhhhhh don't tell anyone about it of course or there will be a stampede. And I hope by speaking this into the open you don't lose the value add here!

Now if only we could keep the doors on the Boeing planes - but that's for another conversation...