NAIT community members share 'lucky' tips for St. Patrick's Day
The phrase “luck of the Irish” is thought to mean “extreme good fortune.” The word “luck” actually originates from a shortened form of the early Middle Dutch word "gheluc," which means happiness and good fortune.
We're often encouraged to make our own luck – especially around St. Patrick's Day – but how do you actually do that? NAIT staff, students and alumni shared their thoughts on how they create their own good fortunes.
1. Be the picture of positivity
Clint Galloway, director of student well-being and community at NAIT, says “luck” begins with positivity.
“For me, it’s the power of positive thinking. I’ve always found myself being someone who sees the glass half full – an internal optimist,” says Galloway.
He’s a firm believer of karma and paying it forward.
“If I can go out of my way to do something nice for someone and it makes me feel good and helps them, I also feel that that good fortune [or] luck will come back to me at some point in my life,” he says.
2. Have a great attitude
Kate Andrews, chair of the Personal Fitness Trainer program at NAIT, believes luck is about perception and your own attitude. It means viewing the tough things in life as lessons and being grateful when good things happen.
“Surround yourself with people who are driven and have positive attitudes. This can even mean listening to motivational speakers on podcasts or anyone who inspires a positive, well-being,” Andrews says.
She advises against falling into the trap of negative self-criticism and to avoid gossip, both of which will only bring you down.
“Of course you’re going to encounter hardships but you have to think about how great things are as well,” she says.
3. Be a calming influence
Being an Ooks men’s volleyball player, Mitch Lewington (Millwork & Carpentry ‘18) knows that positive energy is contagious and can help the team, so he keeps it upbeat.
Lewington is a setter, a key position for a volleyball team, and his encouragement and demeanour has a calming effect.
“If we lost a game, I was always the guy who tried to keep the whole team together and remind them we’re a team. I feel like it helped with performance for our next game,” he says.
“I’m quite optimistic and level headed so I think that goes hand in hand with creating your own luck.”
4. Nothing is handed to you
Chelsey Jensen (Radio & Television ‘17) is a firm believer in making your own luck; no one is going to hand you a golden opportunity.
“Whatever you get in life is because of hard work, which creates your own luck,” she says.
Jensen works in radio in digital communications and is an Oilers Orange & Blue ice crew member, which combines her love for hockey, meeting new people and pumping up the crowd at Rogers Place. Creating your own luck and staying positive go hand in hand, she says.
“It’s very easy to stay so positive when your life is made up of all the things that you genuinely love.”
5. The 'yes' man!
You know when people have that fear of missing out on something, so they say yes to everything. Carter Buchanan, a second-year (Business Administration - Entrepreneurship & Innovation) student, knows exactly what that means.
“Making my own luck has really come through by never saying no to anything. I have a very ‘yes’ attitude,” he says.
Not only is Buchanan a NAIT business student, he owns and operates three businesses. He’s also the director of the Alberta Cheerleading Association and coaches two cheer teams.
Buchanan says staying positive can be a challenge when you’re a busy entrepreneur, which has its share of setbacks and successes. It just takes telling yourself, I have the skills to keep moving forward.
“The only time you lose at anything you do, is when you quit,” he says.