47 Close Calls With Disaster That Made People Believe In Luck

Psychologist and wellbeing specialist Lee, the founder of Essentialise Workplace Wellbeing, explained to Bored Panda that, in modern times, we're exposed to more negative news which might make the world seem a bit more dangerous than it actually is.

"Part of being able to live with confidence is accepting that accidents do happen, and that in the modern world, we see them more often than they actually happen due to the media we consume," he said.

"Appreciating that there are things that are out of control is powerful, as this helps us to get clear on what we can control from a risk perspective, to make our lives as safe as possible, but not waste time worrying about things we can't."

Meanwhile, we can aim to be more mindful of the content that we consume. That way, we can switch our perspectives and see opportunities rather than potential threats. "Other things to consider are ensuring we sleep well, which supports our emotional balance, eating well as this impacts our mood, and moving our bodies, as this protects against worrying and rumination," the wellbeing specialist pointed out that we should all strive to get the basics right first.

Psychologist Lee was also kind enough to share his thoughts on the values and beliefs that can help someone recover more quickly if they happen to get hurt badly in an accident. "Some important things to consider is that with accidents, we need to come to a place of acceptance about what has happened, in order to move past the suffering and start to focus on a growth mindset," Lee said.

"It's very easy to look at what you've lost, rather than focusing on the most positive recovery possible. This involves reflection, expressing the emotions you feel in a healthy way, and sometimes forgiving ourselves." What also helps is practicing gratitude for what you have "rather than focusing on what you might have lost, and being resilient helps to navigate adversity and adapt to new ways of doing things."

The psychologist added that some other important things are to maintain optimism, find fun in the little things, and seek support from your network. Lee has been lauded by the Startups 100 Index for his exceptional hard work with Essentialise Workplace Wellbeing. You can find some recent coverage of his success here, here, as well as here. 

It’s a good idea to learn what to do if you’re ever in a fire, see someone drowning, spot someone who got electrocuted, or notice someone choking, etc. These are examples of emergency situations that you can prepare for in advance and do drills so that you know what to do under stress. This way, you’re prepared and won’t be panicking when the dung hits the fan.

However, aside from basic safety precautions, there are plenty of situations that are disasters-in-waiting that you can’t feasibly prepare for. For example, you probably don’t expect your power tools to suddenly break and send metal fragments flying everywhere. The best you can do is get in the habit of wearing safety gear like goggles, and make sure that you take care of your tools.

Similarly, it would be mind-boggling to prepare for an eventuality like someone plowing their car through the wall of your building in the middle of the night. It’s a frightening thought. And people have avoided getting hurt due to blind luck. But it’s not exactly a situation that you could see potentially happening.

There are just way too many factors to consider! And it would overwhelm pretty much everyone if they tried to cover all of their bases, all the time. They’d probably end up living in an isolated bunker on a mountain somewhere… but even there, you’d still have to deal with dangers like tripping and falling.

Based on the CDC’s data from 2020, the leading causes of death in the United States were heart disease (696,962 deaths), cancer (602,350), Covid-19 (350,831), accidents (200,955), stroke (160,264), and chronic lower respiratory diseases (152,657). Alzheimer’s killed 134,242 Americans while Diabetes claimed the lives of 102,188 people in the country.

Meanwhile, the leading causes of death around the world are cardiovascular diseases, cancer, high blood pressure, smoking, obesity, high blood sugar, and air pollution. We might not be able to control many things that happen to us, but we can eat healthy food and get plenty of movement, in order to reduce our risks of certain diseases.

Having an active social life and keeping your stress under control can also help your body and mind stay healthy. Social isolation is just as bad as smoking, so you shouldn’t neglect to build genuine social connections. Try to stay in touch with your family and friends as much as possible.

While a thriving social life and exercise alone won’t make you magically immune to accidents, you’ll be far fitter and more capable to bounce back after your stay at the hospital. Moreover, having others support you in your time of need can make a massive difference in your recovery. Control the things that you can control. Prepare for the most common risks. And then go about your day, taking the necessary safety precautions, but without constantly looking above your head for falling pianos.

Good luck might help us avoid getting hurt. However, ironically, not all good luck is, well, good for us. For example, many people dream about winning the lottery, getting a ton of money, and then living (what they assume will be) in style, without a care in the world. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Unless you religiously practice stealth wealth and keep your winnings a secret, you might soon find your life turning into h**l. You might soon find your family and friends resenting you for not sharing your newfound wealth with them. Even if you get them gifts or spread your money around a bit, they might still feel like you owe them more. As such, some of them might expect you to pay for their jet-setting trips around the world or ask you to get them luxury goods or even cars.

Similarly, if they announce your name and/or picture after you win the super mega ultra jackpot, don’t be surprised if distant acquaintances, long-lost relatives, and complete strangers badger you for cash. Some of them might legitimately need your help. Others might tell you a sob story to play you like a fiddle.

If you want to be generous and give back to the community, do so on your own terms: find a charitable organization that means a lot to you and make a donation. Don’t feel obligated to help everyone who demands your attention. Otherwise, you’ll soon find that you no longer have any money left, and you don’t have the means to support your nearest and dearest for generations to come.

Another danger of falling victim to a massive stroke of luck, at least financially, is the constant stress you’re under now that you’ve won the lottery. The pressure you’re under, as well as the vast cash reserves at your fingertips, might tempt you to gamble, drink, and party hard. Unless you have the willpower and discipline to moderate these impulses, you might end up wrecking your health, losing your wealth, and flushing your good reputation down the sewer.

In short, if you literally win the jackpot, the best approach is to enjoy things quietly and make plans for the future. Try to resist telling everyone about just how lucky you were. The same people who would be glad to see you’re all right after a close call with a potential accident might have a very different opinion about you ‘bragging’ about your lottery winnings. It’s weird how that works.

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