How To Harness The Power Of Serendipity
2020 was the year of serendipity. We learned to be adaptable in terms of work habits, duties, opportunities, and restrictions. We learned how to pivot our operations in order to accommodate virtual work or changing client needs. We became aware of the fresh potential to advance equity and justice in our professional and personal lives. We changed our objectives to accommodate new ways of being, working, and learning.
Despite our best efforts to maintain our old ways of being and aspirations, the Universe had other ideas for us. For better or worse, we’re in a different place in 2021 than we were at the beginning of 2020. We may rely on serendipity to help us stay open to new opportunities and chance encounters.
Here’s how to use the power of serendipity to achieve your objectives:
What exactly is serendipity?
Serendipity is the occurrence of unexpected events through chance, frequently to our advantage. You may have experienced this when you were thinking of a friend you hadn’t spoken to in a long time and that person sent you a text message.
You may also encounter this when, after planning a specific course of action or focusing on a specific goal, another chance presents itself that is much better than what you could have anticipated for yourself. The unexpected is the source of serendipity’s power. The saying “we plan, God laughs” pretty much sums it up. Despite the fact that humans have free will and may plan the future ahead of time.
And our fate is not predetermined. We may spend the majority of our life on a single career route, gaining progress and being promoted. Then one day we wake up and realise it’s no longer what we desire. Or, seemingly out of nowhere, fate intervenes and gives us with a fresh work chance.
Serendipity can also refer to the unexpected discovery of something good. As in finding a 2000rs dollar in a coat, you haven’t worn in years. You had forgotten it was there, yet it came to you in an auspicious manner.
Be Primed for the Unexpected
When you keep your options open, more opportunities will present themselves. The statement “or something better” is one method I like to incorporate this into my goal planning.
“I will make an extra 1,000rs per month by December 31, or something greater,” for example. Or, “I plan to become a licenced social worker by May 1st, or sooner.”
We frequently limit ourselves to what we believe we can have or what feels practical to us. As a result, we can’t always see another approach or another alternative. “Or something better,” on the other hand, permits you to remain open to unexpected possibilities without attempting to push something to happen.
Exercise Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the ability to be fully present in the present moment, aware of where we are and what we are doing. It’s about not being unduly reactive to or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us and instead of observing the situation without judgement.
We all have this ability to be present, and by honing it through daily practise, we’re better able to call on it when we need it, such as when we’re paying attention to serendipity.
Being attentive occurs whenever you bring your awareness (or pay attention) to your surroundings or what you’re doing by employing your five senses. When you direct your consciousness to your inner world – what you’re thinking or feeling – you’re also practising mindfulness.
It is a simple practice, but it is not always simple. You may improve your inherent ability to be attentive by committing to yourself and daily mindfulness practice. As a result, you’ll become more conscious of the unexpected, yet helpful, moments in your life.
Because you’ll be more likely to detect unexpected chances if you practise mindfulness, you’ll be able to stay open to them. Opportunities can slip us by if we aren’t looking for them, therefore practising mindfulness allows you to recognise an opportunity and decide whether or not to follow it.
Ask for a Sign
When you begin to practise mindfulness, you will be able to recognise serendipity when it occurs in your life. That unexpected meeting in line at the grocery store could lead to a new job or business opportunity.
The three-page blog you thought you’d lost when your computer crashed may have made a place for even more profound insights, lessons, and wisdom to flow through (I hate when this happens, but it always works out for the best!).
But how can you tell if what you’re experiencing is serendipity or just a coincidence? You can request a sign from the Universe.
You can ask for a sign to see if the coincidental event you just witnessed is something you should pursue, or if you should stick to your original plan.
To begin, select a sign. It might be anything — an animal, a flower, a lucky number or sequence of numbers, or a specific symbol or object. Choose something that you’re unlikely to see every day, something that’s a little out of the ordinary.
Allow your sign to come to you naturally. Don’t push it. Choose the first thought that comes to mind and stick to it. Then, if you need support, direction, or want to know if you’re on the correct track, ask the Universe to send you your sign.
Then, please be patient! The Universe operates on divine time — you may not receive your sign right away, and that’s perfectly fine! Continue to be alert and pay attention to the details. Continue to pursue your goals and behaviours, and your sign will appear when the time is appropriate.
It’s possible that you won’t get your sign at all. That, too, is a sign! You may need to select something more in line with your values. Or, like me, you could wait for a sign to appear.
Examine Your Objectives
It’s time to re-evaluate your goals now that you’re practising mindfulness, paying attention to serendipity, and asking the Universe for your sign.
When a coincidental event brings you to a new opportunity, it’s time to revise your plans. Is the new job still in line with your priorities and fundamental values? Is it in line with your year-end goals, or should you create new ones based on this fresh information?
It’s also an excellent time to write about your experience in a notebook or on a list of accomplishments. We sometimes forget the positive or unexpected things that happen to us, so keeping a written record helps us recall our experiences and achieve our goals.
The Bottom Line
Setting specific, measurable goals allows you to focus on what is most important to you. Keeping an open mind to the power of serendipity allows you to remain adaptable when things don’t go as planned or when you’re welcomed to an even greater opportunity. We can’t always see the path ahead of us, but practising mindfulness and paying attention to the simple things might help us find our way.
Take action right now: Begin with a mindful practice. Pay attention to the ideas, visuals you see, and phrases you hear during the day. Take note of anything you haven’t observed previously. Did you see or hear anything that could assist you in reaching your objectives? Then, select your sign.
Don’t overthink it; just pick the first thing that comes to mind. When you want to know if you’re experiencing serendipity, ask the Universe to reveal your sign.
