Superstitions can be a very divisive topic. Some people are incredibly superstitious and firmly believe that there are things in life that can affect your luck. Others think it's a bunch of nonsense and believe that only we can control the things that happen to us.
Personally, I am a believer in superstitions. My grandma taught me to hold my breath when we passed a cemetery (I still do that to this day), I throw salt over my shoulder anytime it's spilled, and I do pay attention to where I'm walking on a sidewalk.
Whether you're a believer or not, there are psychological reasons that can influence a person's belief in superstitions and luck.
In this post, we will explore what superstitions are, share some examples of common superstitions, discuss what luck really means, and will uncover how the CONQUERing Community feels about superstitions.
What is Superstition?
Superstition isn't just a catchy song written by Stevie Wonder. According to EBSCO, superstition is the belief that unseen or supernatural forces can influence earthly events and human experiences. The concept of good luck and bad luck are encompassed by superstitions.
Essentially, superstitions are a way for us to control what's uncontrollable about life. Everyone is going to experience bad luck and setbacks that make us feel like the world is against us. Sometimes, it can bring peace of mind to attribute such events to something we can control.
Why Do People Believe in Superstitions?
Psychologists suggest that superstitions help people feel a sense of control during uncertain situations. When outcomes are unpredictable—like sports games, job interviews, or buying concert tickets—rituals can reduce anxiety and boost confidence.
Even if a superstition has no direct impact, believing in them can help improve performance and decision-making. It's almost like having an invisible safety net when you're diving into the unknown.
What Are Common Superstitions? 5 Bad Luck and 5 Good Luck Superstitions
There are many superstitions you've likely heard of. Some are directly taught, some you pick up on, and some we entirely make up on our own.
If you aren't sure what some common superstitions are, here are five that many believe cause bad luck if they occur to you:
- Stepping on a crack
- Walking under a ladder
- Black cat crossing your path
- Bad luck comes in threes
- Knocking on wood to reverse something you said
Many superstitions are rooted in folklore and have been passed down for generations. In a way, they're a way for us to connect to our ancestors that came before us.
Not all superstitions are associated with bad luck. Here are five that many believe cause good luck if they occur to you:
- Finding a heads-up penny
- Rubbing a rabbit's foot
- Breaking a wishbone and pulling the larger portion of the bone
- Fuzzy dice in a vehicle
- Finding a four leaf clover
There are also people that make up superstitions of their own. When something good happens to us, we pay attention to the circumstances that happened around us. This is why many sports fans will wear the same socks when they watch their favorite team because they believe it will help them win.
I recently created my own superstition when trying to buy Harry Styles tickets at Madison Square Garden. I had luck when trying to get tickets through the app on my iPad. From now on, I will only use my iPad and the app to buy concert tickets.
What Does Luck Mean?
Luck and superstitions kind of go hand-in-hand. There are a few ways luck can be defined:
- Luck can be a force that brings good fortune or adversity
- Luck can be chance occurrences that are favorable to a person's interest
- Luck is something that changes an aspect of your life without any interference from you
If you lean towards the more practical view of superstitions, you probably recognize that there are statistical probabilities of something good happening to you based on your life circumstances. You probably favor chance over luck.
If you're a firm believer in superstitions like I am, you like to believe that there are some external forces that control when something good or something bad happens to you. I don't mean this as a way to not take accountability for your actions. The way I view it, luck happens randomly without any action taken by me.
Is Luck a Superstition?
Simply put, yes luck is a superstition. Many people view luck as being caused by something out of their control, like a black cat crossing their path. When we experience luck, we pay attention to what's happening around us and try to replicate it to keep the luck going.
When bad luck occurs, you might be more on edge or use one of the good luck superstitions to try to turn your luck around.
Why is Luck Important?
When you feel lucky, you're more likely to act on opportunities and take chances. You might feel like you have some protection and you're willing to take risks. This could encourage you to apply for your dream job or take the leap and move to a new city. Luck can act as a safety net to go after what you really want.
Luck also affects our moods. When you experience good luck, you might feel more optimistic and happy. When you experience bad luck, you might feel discouraged and build some resilience.
I think luck makes life more fun. Superstitions that people believe in can tell you about their background and the type of person they are. Attributing life events to external, supernatural forces can take some of the seriousness out of life.
Do Fidget Jewelry SuperFans Believe in Superstitions?
Since superstitions can be such a hot topic, we wanted to know if the CONQUERing Community is superstitious. We asked the CONQUERing Collective Facebook group if they believed in superstitions and if so, what they believe influences luck.
We had a LOT of SuperFans jumping in to share what they believe brings them luck. Some of the superstitions were what we shared earlier while others were completely unique to the SuperFan.
Common Superstitions Among CONQUERing SuperFans
As we read through the comments on the post asking for feedback from the CONQUERing Collective, we noticed a few recurring superstitions that many respondents believe influence their luck.
The most common superstition we noticed among CONQUERing SuperFans was knocking on wood. When you put something out into the universe that you don't want to come true, knocking on wood is believed to help reverse your words.
Another common superstition that kept coming up was throwing salt over your shoulder when someone spills it. Most people specifically called out throwing it over your left shoulder to ensure you have good luck. Angel numbers and making wishes at 11:11 or 12:34 also came up as practices for influencing good luck.
Unique Superstitions Among CONQUERing SuperFans
We also noticed quite a few superstitions and symbols of luck that are unique to our SuperFans. Barbara mentioned that she always keeps her husband's dog tags in her purse. She started wearing them when they began dating in 1987 and never goes anywhere without them. Val mentioned winning a State horse show under a number she'd never used before and wore that number for many years after.
Some of our SuperFans also mentioned superstitions they were taught by their parents:
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"My mom grew up in England but her mom was born in Ukraine. They have a superstition to NOT kill spiders at night."—Danielle, CONQUERing SuperFan |
| "My mom's great grandmother was...[an] Irish traveler so there's sooooo many superstitions in my family. I would have to sit and thin about them all but here's a few: never do your laundry on New Year's Day or you wash away your good luck; if you have a bad dream you have to tell someone about it or it will come true; don't throw bread away when it goes bad, rip it up and give it to the birds or you will go hungry; if something goes missing...the fairies probably took it."—Ann, CONQUERing SuperFan |
| "We are Irish on my mom's side so we have a bunch of traditional Irish good luck beliefs. Finding a four-leaf clover brings luck and an itchy left hand indicates you will soon come into money."—Whitney, CONQUERing SuperFan |
There are a ton of other superstitions and symbols of good luck out there that our SuperFans shared with us. You might resonate with some of these or reminisce on superstitions your family taught you.
Uncover Your Own Source of Luck
Whether luck is psychological, spiritual, or pure coincidence, what matters most is how it influences the way you show up in your life. If believing in a little extra luck gives you the courage to take a risk or chase a goal, maybe that belief is powerful in its own way.
If you love symbolism of luck and chance, our four-leaf clove, cards-inspired, and evil eye fidget jewelry are a fun way to carry that reminder with you.
| 4-Leaf Clover Encapture™ | Suits: Four-of-a-Kind Set | Evil Eye Novelty |
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