Today is a day for superstitions and people brace for bad luck – Friday the 13th. Superstitions are a huge part of our culture. I once knew someone who had to come in and go out the same door, or they felt they would have bad luck. There are people who feel starting something new on this day is bad luck. So, I thought it might be fun to look at some of the superstitions. Are they bad luck or excuses not to take action?
History of Friday 13th as Bad Luck
The number 13 has been associated with bad luck for centuries. In Norse mythology (Marvel fans will be able to follow this) Loki, the god of mischief, crashed a party which brought the total number of people attending to 13. This led to the god Hodr being tricked into killing his brother, Balder. In Christianity, there were 13 people who attended the last supper on the Friday before Jesus died on the cross.
Whatever the reasoning, for centuries people have paid attention to negative things that have happened on Friday 13th. So, some people will not actually start something new on this date. This seems silly, but I realized when I did research for this blog, that there are many superstitions that I follow. Many of them are connected to where I was raised and the culture in my community.
Bad Luck or Excuses?
10. One of the superstitions that can affect keto is the idea of not starting anything new on Friday 13th. Because of the stories I list above, for centuries people have just kept their heads down and tried to get through the day. The idea is to not tempt fate by starting something new or important to you today. I say, if your health is important to you, don’t put it off because of a date!
9. The superstition of black cats being bad luck is obviously one we do not listen to. Link is a loveable, amazing little #ketocat and certainly not bad luck. Historically, people thought that black cats were witches in their animal forms. Trust me, if Link is a witch, he’s a good one. He’ll support you through all your cravings and hard times!
8. Breaking a mirror gives you 7 years of bad luck. This comes from the idea that your reflection holds little bits of your soul. Well, I may want to break a mirror when I’m having self-esteem issues, but the truth is that this is not why I have bad luck. Losing weight has not made me any less clumsy, and if this superstition is true, I’ve been doomed to have bad luck since my youth!
Bad Luck or Excuses To Not Work on Our Keto Website
7. One superstition that does affect keto for me is not changing the calendar early. I had one experience in my teenage years when I put up a calendar I got for Christmas before the January 1st date. I had a horrible month after that. I’m sure it was a coincidence, but I’m not taking any chances. This can be a pain when I’m trying to plan ahead for these blogs, though. I write things in and then immediately put it back to the correct month. No bad luck for me!
6. Knocking on wood is an old superstition. It was thought that spirits, both good and bad, lived in trees. The good spirits could be called upon for protection by knocking on wood. The bad spirits could be chased away by doing the same. I do this constantly! If we have a good week of sales with our keto workbooks, Bill will say things are going well, and I will knock on wood. Keep those good spirits protecting us!
5. Similar to the last superstition is crossing your fingers. It was thought to be like a sign of the cross. So, crossing your fingers is a way to invoke good spirits and good luck. We will talk about something getting done on the website in a certain time frame, and I will cross my fingers that it happens. Of course, the only way it happens is actually doing it. But crossing my fingers can’t hurt!
The Bad Luck Omens
4. There is a superstition that is almost relayed as fact in our area of the world, and that is that bad luck comes in 3’s. If you have two people you know die, you just wait for word on the third. It’s eerily accurate, although I’m sure we are looking for the 3rd thing to happen because of this superstition.
3. If a bird hits a window in Nova Scotia, everyone gets upset. Not because of the poor bird, but because it is an omen that someone is going to die. Keep your windows dirty, people, and save a life!
2. Opening an umbrella inside a building is seen as a bad luck omen. Umbrellas used to be commonly used to protect people from the sun. By opening the umbrella inside, you were offending the sun god. Practically speaking, opening an umbrella inside can be dangerous to those around you and any breakable objects – such as mirrors.
Bad Luck or Excuses To Not Start Keto
1. A calorie is a calorie. While this isn’t a superstition about bad luck, it can be devastating for someone trying to lose weight. You hear stories about people saving up all their calories for the day so they can have a huge wedge of birthday cake. Your body processes calories differently – depending on whether they are made up of fruits and vegetables, protein, fat, or sugar.
The bottom line is that keto, and life, is not about superstitions. It’s about hard work and dedication. Put in the effort, and you will see results – no matter what the date on the calendar says.
Wendy
