Most of you might not know this, but my previous blog name was "Serendipitous Findings" until I realized that it was much too long and so I changed it to the presently known name "Olive." There was personal meaning to that name because serendipity is my favorite word and it has been long before the movie came out (although I absolutely love the movie too) because the meaning of it is so positive and it brings about this feeling of hope whenever I think of it. According to the Oxford Dictionary the definition of serendipity is: "The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way."
The reason why I am writing this is because for a while I was feeling pretty lethargic and unmotivated. I recently moved back home and took a break from school and I felt as though my life had halted in a way. I had so many big aspirations, but there was this fear that I may have shot way too high and I desperately clung to all those dreams I had for my future. I was stuck in a rut in the same little town, doing the same things I've always done and nothing was progressing for me. I sat at home feeling sorry for myself and thinking of all the things I wanted to do and I realized that I had done nothing to improve my chances of actually getting to do those things. And *poof* serendipity came to my mind and I went back to being the optimistic girl from my past, the girl who could look utter failure in the eye and be able to move on without a chip on her shoulder. I believe that great things can happen just by taking chances, but if chances and opportunities aren’t taken, then those great things will not happen on their own.
Recently, I enrolled in a different school and I plan to stay with my parents, work and save up until I graduate. Obviously I’m not making any drastic changes, but I believe I am taking a step forward from where I was. My 6 month long self-pitying party has ended and I’m ready to start my life without waiting for things to come to me. So if something isn't working for you, move on and try a different route and who knows what you'll discover. Maybe I'm idealistic and a bit romantic, but this idea of "happy accidents" or "leaps of faith" motivate me to lead a more fulfilling life; it keeps me going at the end of the day. It sounds like I wrote a lot about "me, me, me" but serendipities can go beyond just yourself and it can open doors for connecting with so many different people and who knows who's life you may change.
Any who, I stumbled on this article that I wanted to share with you all and I hope it brings some inspiration when you read it. Here is an excerpt of the article, you can read the entire thing at http://goodlifezen.com/2009/11/10/serendipity/
5 Ways to Increase Your Chances of Serendipity
1. Get out of the house
Imagine you sat in your house all day, every day, just sitting and staring at the four walls, what would your chances of a happy accident occurring; virtually zero. So to increase your chances of ‘micro serendipity’ get out of the house, meet the neighbors, buy from your local shops, go to the library. Although nothing might happen when doing this, it’s good for you to socialize in the real world.
2. Meet others within your field of interest
If you want to be a writer, would you rather hang out with yourself, possibly struggling to write, or hang out with like minded people who could very well give you the ideas needed to finish your book, or give you ideas for articles etc.
3. Open up your mind
There are possibly thousands of serendipitous events happening around you, which could lead you to change your life in some way, but if you are not open to the possibility then you will not recognize them. Your life is literally a happy accident, open up your mind to the possibility that chance encounters mean something.
Ask yourself if meeting someone three times in different places means something, ask yourself if a book falling on your head means something, ask yourself if finding a college prospectus on a bus means something. By enquiring all the time into signs and their meanings it can lead to unexpected surprises.
4. Follow the signs
Once you have opened up your mind to the possibility of serendipity and the fact that it might be happening all the time around you, start following the signs that you are being presented. You might not believe at all in this strange game but I would ask you to try it for a week and see where it leads you.
To do this ask the question ‘Does this mean something?’ after every event, big or small. Therefore, if you see the same person, three times in different places and it seems a coincidence start talking to them and see what happens.
5. Can it help others
Have you had a micro-serendipitous event that you think could benefit others why not make it a macro-serendipitous event.
Arthur Fry is a good example of taking a micro-serendipitous event and making it a macro one. He wanted to find a way to bookmark his hymnal at church and his subsequent attendance at a seminar on low-tack adhesive led to the ‘Post-it Note’.
