Lucky Charms and Other Ways to Ground Yourself

Since St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, I decided that lucky charms were the perfect topic for today. Not the curiously colorful sugar cereal with mini marshmallows, but the kind they’re named after.

President Obama once revealed that he kept a selection of charms in his pocket. In the particular interview I saw, he carried rosary beads from Pope Francis, a mini Buddha from a Buddhist monk, a lucky poker chip from a “big, bald” biker with tattoos, a Hindu statuette of Hanuman the monkey god, and a Coptic cross from Ethiopia. He said on days when he was tired or discouraged, he’d reach into his pocket to be reminded of his purpose, of all the people – their stories, hopes and dreams – who gave him those keepsakes.

It’s the “Little Thing”
I recently attended a panel discussion where parents were talking about how to find the right resources to help their kids. One mom who has six children, each with some sort of challenge or diagnosis, made a quick mention of how she gets through the day. She said she loves iced tea with lemon. That’s her go-to. She admitted she splurges on one each day at her local shop, and she carries that cup around as if it gives her super powers. It’s “the little thing” she knows she can hold on to, even if the big things in her life are a mess.

This isn’t the first time I’ve heard a parent mention having some sort of comfort item, touchstone or talisman that gets them through the day. One friend of mine always wears the stretch bracelets I made for her. When her kids are having an extra rough day, she says touching them keeps her grounded. Another mom whose teen struggles told me that fuzzy socks are one of those little things that transports her to inner peace.

Find Your Touchstone

Is there something small that helps ground you? You don’t have to be superstitious to have a touchstone. All you need is to find something that reminds you that you are strong, that you have purpose, that you can take a break and breathe. A lucky charm (say an iced tea, a bracelet, fuzzy socks, or a beloved geode) might just do the trick.

Lucky Charms image: General Mills