Have you ever felt enslaved by the superstitions you believed in? Did you cross the street and walk on the other side just because you saw a black cat? Do you suddenly feel scared after stepping on a crack in the road surface and believe that you will have bad luck stepping on it? Have you ever cracked a mirror and then felt frustrated because you thought that the next seven years of your life would be filled with ugliness? If you experience any of these things, then it's time for you to break away from superstitions and learn that you alone determine your luck.
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Part 1 of 3: Setting the Mindset
Step 1. Learn the origins of the superstitions you believe in
Knowing the origins of superstition is one way to combat superstition. For example, did you know that the rule not to walk under stairs to avoid bad luck stems from being aware of the dangers of falling tools when you walk around the area. The more you fight superstitions, the more you will realize that there is no solid basis for believing that luck depends on them. Below are surprising facts about the origin of some superstitions:
- In 18th century London, umbrellas with metal spokes were quite popular and could harm others if they were opened indoors. Therefore, there has been a superstition that opening an umbrella indoors can bring bad luck, even though it's actually more related to safety than bad luck.
- Spilling salt is considered bad luck. This superstition has appeared in 3500 BC in ancient Sumerian times. The superstition about spilled salt was not merely because it brought bad luck, but rather so as not to waste salt because at that time salt was an expensive commodity.
- In some cultures, black cats are considered to bring good luck. The ancient Egyptians, for example, thought that if a black cat passed by, you would have good luck. In the 17th century, King Charles even kept a black cat. Unfortunately, in the Middle Ages and during the pilgrimage, many people associated black cats with witches, so they thought that black cats brought bad luck.
Step 2. Recognize that there is no rational evidence to suggest that superstitions can affect your life
Is there a definite reason that the number 13 is an unlucky number? Why are black cats considered bad luck, compared to other cats? Is it true that if you find a stalk of a four-leaf clover, you will get a lot of luck? If bunny paw charms really bring good luck, why doesn't the bunny own one (and lose a leg instead)? Even if you think rational thinking has nothing to do with superstition, you must still think critically if you really want to get rid of the superstitions that have been haunting you for so long.
Superstition is born out of ancient traditions. Like many other ancient traditions, superstition is still maintained even though there is no particular use of superstition
Step 3. Find out which superstitions have been interfering with your daily life
Do you keep looking at the road as you walk just to avoid cracks in the road, until you don't realize you're bumping into someone else? Do you immediately turn around and leave just because you bumped into a black cat? The superstition that disturbs the most in your daily life should be the first thing you focus on. You may walk 10 minutes longer to work simply because you feel that the path you are taking brings good luck. You may also have to run back home and be late for your date just to pick up and put on your lucky earrings. If you reconsider these things, you may find that superstitions can bring you more trouble (and even danger) than good luck.
Ask yourself if the anxiety you are experiencing about your superstitious beliefs can actually bring you positive energy
Step 4. Don't include your belief in certain superstitions in the decisions you make
Use common sense and logical reasoning when making decisions and don't rely on strange feelings or things that are considered signs of the supernatural. If a friend of yours invites you to meet somewhere, take the common path people take and try not to take what you think is a lucky path. When you go to work, dress appropriately for the weather and try not to wear your lucky coat while it's hot outside. Let logical reasoning dictate your decision, not superstitious rules.
Start small. If you spill salt, don't throw a handful of salt over your shoulder and see what happens. After that, you can try fighting your belief in a superstition that scares you more, like trying to pet a black cat or walking under stairs
Step 5. Realize that you have the power to make your own fortune
While you can't control everything that happens in your life, you can still control how you react to things that happen and the actions you can take in the face of them. This is much more important than getting lucky or unlucky. Everyone experiences bad things from time to time and in fact, some people get far more bad than others. Even if you can't control bad things from happening in your life, you still have the power to face them with a positive attitude and make plans to improve your situation, so you don't have to think about superstition and going through certain rituals.
Superstitious beliefs can make it difficult for you to manage your own life, although superstition can make you feel more secure. Meanwhile, you will naturally hesitate to move forward if you realize that you have a power that can lead you to success or failure
Step 6. Always think about the best that could happen, rather than the worst
This is another thing you can do to change the way you think about superstition. Try to think of the best that you can get from an event instead of constantly imagining the worst that will come out of it. If you believe that things are always bad for you, then you are likely to run into a conflict. If you think that you are going to have fun days, chances are that you will. You don't have to follow superstitious rules to find happiness every day.
Many people are superstitious because they think that their lives are filled with bad things wherever they go so they need to follow certain superstitious rules, such as not being allowed to whistle indoors, in order to avoid bad things. If you believe that there is kindness and love in every place you visit, then superstition will only be the thing that can give meaning and color to your life
Part 2 of 3: Taking Action
Step 1. Prove that in reality, the superstitions you believe in have no definite basis
Leave your bunny paw at home and see how you can have a good day. Step over cracks in the road surface. Keep walking as you pass the clover garden. Do 13 things (spend your 13 dollars at the store, send 13 emails to your friends, edit 13 wikiHow articles, etc.). If these are too difficult for you to do, start one at a time and see how much progress you make.
If you really want to get rid of superstitions, you can try getting a black cat. Black kittens are very rarely adopted and are the most frequently euthanized animals. If you have a black cat and you love the cat very much, you will realize that the cat is not bringing you bad luck and actually bringing you good
Step 2. Gradually ditch the superstitious rules you've been following, or you can abandon them outright, depending on the way that works best for you
If you find it too difficult to just walk away from the rules, you can try them gradually, leaving one by one the superstitious rules that you have always believed in. Try not to carry the rabbit's paw as your talisman for a week and, if it works, try something else, like going up to the thirteenth floor of a building. If you feel capable, you can also immediately abandon the superstitious rules that you believe in. This method can be a challenge for you.
- Keep trying to let go of the superstitious beliefs that you find most difficult to let go of. It may take months for you to stop following these rules, but eventually you will be able to break free from this superstition.
- You may need some time to get used to it once you stop following superstitious rules. You may have stopped following these rules, but you still believe in their power.
Step 3. Be positive
Having positive energy that you can use throughout the day is another way to stop being superstitious. Smile and make hope for the future so you don't have to follow rituals or superstitious rules to make your day run smoothly. You need to remember that you have the power to make good things happen.
- Instead of complaining, try talking about the things you enjoy talking to someone about.
- Write down 5 good things that happen to you each day before you take a break.
- Get used to being a positive person so that superstitions or other beliefs will become useless to you.
Step 4. Learn to ignore the urge to follow superstitious rules
Maybe when you're watching your favorite sports team compete, you feel the need to cross your index and middle fingers, take three beers, or do whatever it takes to make your favorite team win the game. Get rid of such thoughts and think about something else. Once you've let go of the urge to follow the superstitious rule, pay attention to what effect the situation has on you. Talk to the person sitting next to you so you know that you really need to ignore these thoughts.
If you really feel the need to follow this superstitious rule, count from one to ten, or to a hundred in your mind. Focus on other things until the urge to follow the superstitious rule goes away
Step 5. Recognize that superstitions only work because you believe in the power inherent in them
A study has shown that some athletes, such as Ray Allen, who are highly superstitious about pre-match rituals can perform better if they perform these rituals. However, this does not mean that the cause of the better performance is the rituals they perform; better performance actually arises from the belief that the power of the rituals they perform can affect their performance. They may think they will put in a good performance in the game because they made 37 free throws in a row from the same spot, or because they wore their lucky socks. In fact, their good performance is due to the belief that the rituals they perform before the game can help them give a good performance, not due to the ritual itself.
- This means that your bunny paw charm will not have any effect on your performance on the exam. However, it can give you a positive mindset that can help you do well on your exams. You need to realize that your mind has the power to generate positive feelings without the interference of superstition.
- The same is true if you believe in superstitions about bad luck. If you run into a black cat, you may believe that you are going to have a bad day at school and, believing that, you could have a really bad time at school.
Part 3 of 3: Getting Used To Apart From Superstitions
Step 1. Spend your time with people who are not superstitious
This can help you to break away from superstitions. Watch sports matches with people who don't have to wear their lucky team jerseys for their team to win. Try hanging out with someone who lives on the 13th floor. Walk with someone who doesn't realize he's stepping on every crack in the road surface. Getting into the habit of believing that other people can go about their days regardless of superstitious rules shows that you too can go about yours without having to follow superstitious rules.
You can try to follow their mindset to be able to go about their day without worrying about a cracked mirror or anything like that. In fact, you can learn new strategies to stop believing in superstitions that you have always believed in
Step 2. If you want to maintain your belief in superstitious rituals that are part of your culture, make sure that they are only symbolic
Some cultures have many superstitious rituals related to everyday life. For example, in Russian culture hugging right at the door can trigger an argument, or stepping over someone who is lying down can stunt the growth of the person lying down. Although it is difficult for you to fight these habits, make sure that you do them as a form of cultural habit, not as a ritual that can have a certain influence on your life. You can still do the habit and at the same time, understand that the habit does not have any power to change the situation.
Tell the people who share your cultural rituals about your efforts to give up your superstitious beliefs. At first they may be offended or even hinder your efforts, but in the end they should still understand your efforts
Step 3. Seek help if your superstitious beliefs begin to indicate obsessive-compulsive disorder
It doesn't matter if you're afraid of black cats or are doing just some rituals that you just can't get out of. But if you already feel that your life is determined by a series of superstitious rituals and you can't go about your day without following those ritual routines until you panic if you do something unexpected, then your belief in these superstitions could be an indication that you are experiencing some kind of problem. obsessive-compulsive disorder. It can be difficult to let go of your superstitions once you have this disorder and the best thing you can do is to see your doctor to talk about the next steps you can take as part of anxiety management.
