You might know someone who says they attract bad luck\u2026 or you might sometimes feel that way yourself. However, psychology shows that this feeling of misfortune often stems less from actual bad luck than from how the brain interprets events. The good news is: our perception isn't fixed.<\/p>\n
The first mechanism at play is negativity bias. Simply put, our brains tend to give more weight to unpleasant experiences than to neutral or positive ones. A delayed train, a missed message, spilled coffee on your favorite t-shirt\u2026 these minor setbacks often leave a stronger impression than a smooth journey or a trouble-free day.<\/p>\n
Researchers, including Roy Baumeister<\/a> and his colleagues, have shown that negative events generally have a stronger psychological impact than positive ones. As a result, you may feel like bad things keep happening, while good times pass more quietly.<\/p>\n Another well-known mechanism is confirmation bias<\/a> . When someone believes they are unlucky, they more readily notice anything that seems to confirm that belief. You miss your bus? "Of course." You find the perfect parking spot five minutes later? That detail is likely to be overlooked.<\/p>\n The brain loves to validate what it already believes to be true. If you see yourself as unlucky, you risk mentally collecting all the evidence that supports this, while forgetting everything else.<\/p>\n Psychology also refers to locus of control, a concept developed by Julian Rotter<\/a> . It describes how we explain what happens to us. Some people tend to think that their lives depend primarily on external factors: luck, fate, other people, chance. This is referred to as an external locus of control.<\/p>\n Others feel they can influence events more through their choices, actions, or attitude. When you feel that everything depends on external forces, it can be easier to feel like you're at the mercy of events\u2026 and therefore plagued by bad luck.<\/p>\n Psychologist Martin Seligman<\/a> developed the theory of learned helplessness. It describes what can happen when a person experiences several successive negative experiences: they end up believing that they have no power over what happens to them.<\/p>\n A possible consequence: less daring, less trying, anticipating the worst, or giving up before even attempting. This isn't a lack of worth or ability. It's a psychological mechanism that can affect anyone after a difficult period.<\/p>\n Psychologist Richard Wiseman studied the concept of luck with hundreds of participants. His work suggests that people who consider themselves lucky often adopt behaviors that create opportunities.<\/p>\n For example, they might be more open to new things, more attentive to their surroundings, and more inclined to seize unexpected opportunities. In other words, luck isn't always a simple matter of chance: it can also be linked to how you move through the world.<\/p>\n Our brain loves to understand, connect, and explain. Even when events are completely unrelated, it sometimes looks for a common thread. Three minor unexpected events in the same week? The mind might quickly conclude, "I'm really having a run of bad luck lately."<\/em> When sometimes it's simply... a matter of chance.<\/p>\n In short, having this feeling sometimes is human. It doesn't mean you're doomed to attract problems. Often, this feeling primarily reflects natural cognitive biases. Taking a step back, noticing what's going well, and recognizing your resources and ability to take action can change your perspective. Ultimately, "bad luck" is sometimes less a reality than a story the brain tells a little too loudly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"You might know someone who says they attract bad luck\u2026 or you might sometimes feel that way yourself....","protected":false},"author":8375,"featured_media":438199,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"disable_msn":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6138],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-438196","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-psycho"],"image":{"medium":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Alex-Green-_-Pexels-200x113.jpg",200,113,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Alex-Green-_-Pexels-500x281.jpg",500,281,true]},"custom":{"td_video":"","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Alex-Green-_-Pexels.jpg","author":{"name":"Fabienne Baure","avatar":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/fabienne_baure-96x96.jpg"},"categories":[{"term_id":6138,"name":"Psychology","slug":"psycho","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":6310,"taxonomy":"category","description":" The Psychology section of The Body Optimist<\/strong> explores your inner life: emotions, self-esteem, body image, relationships and parenting. Practical advice, clear explainers and personal stories cover mental health without jargon or guilt, through a body-positive lens that rejects rules about weight and appearance.<\/p>\n It makes sense to see a therapist as soon as emotional distress lasts, keeps coming back or spills into daily life: disrupted sleep, constant fatigue, losing interest in things you used to enjoy, irritability, trouble at work or in your relationship. There\u2019s no need to wait until you hit rock bottom: therapy can also help you through a breakup, a loss, a new baby or a major life change. Your primary care doctor can refer you to a psychologist or counselor, and depending on where you live, insurance or public health services may cover part of the cost. Our articles offer general guidance: they don\u2019t diagnose anything and are no substitute for professional advice. If you\u2019re having suicidal thoughts, contact a suicide prevention hotline or your local emergency services right away.<\/p>\n Handling your emotions isn\u2019t about silencing them; it\u2019s about recognizing them before they boil over. A few simple habits help: name exactly what you feel (anger, sadness, shame, fear), notice the situations that trigger your strongest reactions, take a few breaths before you respond, and write down whatever keeps looping in your head at night. Your body plays a part too: sleep, movement and quiet moments make you less reactive. When the voice in your head turns harsh, here\u2019s how to quiet your inner critic<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our starting point is simple: your worth doesn\u2019t depend on your weight, your age or your family situation. Articles in this section often give the floor to psychologists and therapists and draw on research and personal stories, with the goal of making psychology accessible without oversimplifying it. We steer clear of the pressure to be happy all the time and of labels handed out lightly: a personality trait isn\u2019t a disorder, and everyone moves at their own pace.<\/p>\n Being a highly sensitive person (HSP), a concept popularized by psychologist Elaine Aron, isn\u2019t a medical diagnosis but a personality trait: people who have it perceive emotions, noise, atmospheres or criticism more intensely. It\u2019s neither a weakness nor an illness. Knowing your triggers, protecting your recovery time and talking about it with loved ones help turn it into a strength rather than a source of exhaustion.<\/p>\n A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can diagnose mental health conditions and prescribe medication. A psychologist holds an advanced degree in psychology and offers assessments and talk therapy, but usually doesn\u2019t prescribe. \u201cTherapist\u201d is a broader term that can cover licensed counselors, social workers and marriage and family therapists; who may use the title varies by country, so check a professional\u2019s credentials. Your doctor can help you choose.<\/p>\n Listen without judging or trying to fix everything, ask directly how they\u2019re feeling and skip the \u201cjust snap out of it.\u201d Offer concrete help: check in regularly, go with them to an appointment. If you sense they may be at risk of suicide, talk about it openly and contact a crisis line, or your local emergency number if their life is in danger.<\/p>\n Keep exploring: our Sex<\/a> section covers intimacy and relationships, Fatphobia<\/a> unpacks weight discrimination, and Well-being<\/a> takes the conversation to the body.<\/p>","parent":0,"count":92,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":6138,"category_count":92,"category_description":" The Psychology section of The Body Optimist<\/strong> explores your inner life: emotions, self-esteem, body image, relationships and parenting. Practical advice, clear explainers and personal stories cover mental health without jargon or guilt, through a body-positive lens that rejects rules about weight and appearance.<\/p>\n It makes sense to see a therapist as soon as emotional distress lasts, keeps coming back or spills into daily life: disrupted sleep, constant fatigue, losing interest in things you used to enjoy, irritability, trouble at work or in your relationship. There\u2019s no need to wait until you hit rock bottom: therapy can also help you through a breakup, a loss, a new baby or a major life change. Your primary care doctor can refer you to a psychologist or counselor, and depending on where you live, insurance or public health services may cover part of the cost. Our articles offer general guidance: they don\u2019t diagnose anything and are no substitute for professional advice. If you\u2019re having suicidal thoughts, contact a suicide prevention hotline or your local emergency services right away.<\/p>\n Handling your emotions isn\u2019t about silencing them; it\u2019s about recognizing them before they boil over. A few simple habits help: name exactly what you feel (anger, sadness, shame, fear), notice the situations that trigger your strongest reactions, take a few breaths before you respond, and write down whatever keeps looping in your head at night. Your body plays a part too: sleep, movement and quiet moments make you less reactive. When the voice in your head turns harsh, here\u2019s how to quiet your inner critic<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our starting point is simple: your worth doesn\u2019t depend on your weight, your age or your family situation. Articles in this section often give the floor to psychologists and therapists and draw on research and personal stories, with the goal of making psychology accessible without oversimplifying it. We steer clear of the pressure to be happy all the time and of labels handed out lightly: a personality trait isn\u2019t a disorder, and everyone moves at their own pace.<\/p>\n Being a highly sensitive person (HSP), a concept popularized by psychologist Elaine Aron, isn\u2019t a medical diagnosis but a personality trait: people who have it perceive emotions, noise, atmospheres or criticism more intensely. It\u2019s neither a weakness nor an illness. Knowing your triggers, protecting your recovery time and talking about it with loved ones help turn it into a strength rather than a source of exhaustion.<\/p>\n A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can diagnose mental health conditions and prescribe medication. A psychologist holds an advanced degree in psychology and offers assessments and talk therapy, but usually doesn\u2019t prescribe. \u201cTherapist\u201d is a broader term that can cover licensed counselors, social workers and marriage and family therapists; who may use the title varies by country, so check a professional\u2019s credentials. Your doctor can help you choose.<\/p>\n Listen without judging or trying to fix everything, ask directly how they\u2019re feeling and skip the \u201cjust snap out of it.\u201d Offer concrete help: check in regularly, go with them to an appointment. If you sense they may be at risk of suicide, talk about it openly and contact a crisis line, or your local emergency number if their life is in danger.<\/p>\n Keep exploring: our Sex<\/a> section covers intimacy and relationships, Fatphobia<\/a> unpacks weight discrimination, and Well-being<\/a> takes the conversation to the body.<\/p>","cat_name":"Psychology","category_nicename":"psycho","category_parent":0}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/438196","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8375"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=438196"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/438196\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":440212,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/438196\/revisions\/440212"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/438199"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=438196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=438196"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=438196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}} When you believe in bad luck\u2026 you spot it everywhere<\/h2>\n
The feeling of control changes everything<\/h2>\n
After several setbacks, discouragement can set in.<\/h2>\n
"Lucky" people don't owe everything to chance.<\/h2>\n
The brain wants meaning everywhere<\/h2>\n
What you\u2019ll find in the Psychology section<\/h2>\n
\n
How do you know when it\u2019s time to see a therapist?<\/h2>\n
How can you handle your emotions better day to day?<\/h2>\n
Our take on psychology<\/h2>\n
Where to start<\/h2>\n
\n
Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n
What is a highly sensitive person?<\/h3>\n
What\u2019s the difference between a psychologist, a psychiatrist and a therapist?<\/h3>\n
How can you help a loved one who\u2019s struggling?<\/h3>\n
What you\u2019ll find in the Psychology section<\/h2>\n
\n
How do you know when it\u2019s time to see a therapist?<\/h2>\n
How can you handle your emotions better day to day?<\/h2>\n
Our take on psychology<\/h2>\n
Where to start<\/h2>\n
\n
Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n
What is a highly sensitive person?<\/h3>\n
What\u2019s the difference between a psychologist, a psychiatrist and a therapist?<\/h3>\n
How can you help a loved one who\u2019s struggling?<\/h3>\n