TikTok’s Lucky Girl Syndrome,” Explained

TikTok’s Lucky Girl Syndrome,” Explained

Leave it to TikTok to coin a term for the supposed power of positive thinking that, like most “trends” that grow at a distorted rate on the app, is simultaneously catchy and contradictory. Meet “lucky girl syndrome”: an affirmation, a manifestation technique, an exclusionary idea that promises happiness is simply a state of mind.

For those out of the loop, lucky girl syndrome is a term used to describe a phenomenon that a number of people on TikTok, including influencers and average users, have reportedly experienced (videos with the hashtag #luckygirlsyndrome have almost 80 million views and counting). And no, it is not a medical condition as the name suggests.

Simply put, think about how lucky you are, tell yourself that you are lucky, and believe that you are lucky will bring you luck should you be struck by Lucky Girl Syndrome. New job opportunities? Lucky Girl Syndrome! The best room in a shared apartment? Lucky Girl Syndrome! But is there information to support this ideology and what do its critics say? Ahead, hear what a mental health expert and manifestation professional think about the concept.

What is Lucky Girl Syndrome?

Lucky Girl Syndrome is a cute name for the idea that you can conjure up happiness and opportunity by believing that you are lucky through the power of positive thinking. And videos of people sharing their success stories are all over TikTok.

“Lucky Girl Syndrome seems to promote that only believing in good things will actually make them happen,” explains Don Grant, MA, MFA, DAC, SU.DCC IV, Ph.D., a media psychologist who specializes in the effects of technology on psychological health and the national consultant for Healthy Device Management at Newport Healthcare.

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You can use the laws of attraction and acceptance to understand the phenomenon, he adds. The law of assumption, for example, "is a manifestation method that assumes that what we believe or imagine is true becomes our reality," says Grant. Similarly, according to Grant, the Law of Attraction follows an “if you build it, they will come” philosophy.

"I can definitely see why repeating affirmations like 'I'm so happy' would have a positive impact on your life," says Roxie Nafousi, self-development coach, manifestation expert and the Sunday Times bestselling author of Manifest: 7 Steps to Your Best Life. “Affirmations like these, if repeated regularly, could encourage the subconscious parts of your brain to seek out more opportunities and see things in a more positive light, creating a better mindset and therefore changing your behavior and perception of your experiences to align with that opinion.”

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However, Nafousi hesitates to call this practice manifestation. Instead, it should be viewed as a “support” for manifestation. “For me, manifesting is a self-development practice rooted in self-worth that requires you to work on your inner healing journey, reprogram your subconscious beliefs, be proactive in achieving your goals, be willing to step out of your comfort zone, work hard and overcome challenges,” she says. "It's a way of life. But I don't think it's about 'luck' or crossing your fingers and hoping, and I think the association can be misleading."

Is Lucky Girl Syndrome problematic?

Some people on TikTok claim the idea of ​​lucky girl syndrome is inherently ableist and racist because it suggests that anyone can use the power of positive thinking to change their life or circumstances when this simply isn't true for everyone.

“I worry that this trend is misleading people into thinking that they just have to be luckier to attract things they want into their lives, which could encourage people to sit back and wait for things to come to them rather than actively pursuing or taking action to make things happen,” says Nafousi. “It could also make other people feel like they’re ‘just not lucky enough’ and therefore discourage them from taking responsibility their lives and create their own happiness.”

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“The hard truth is that some people simply start out with stronger tools, resources, family systems, privileges, opportunities and abilities than others,” Grant adds. "That certainly doesn't mean that people can't overcome obstacles, but the reality is that it may be harder for them to do so without the same core values. It could also be argued that belief in luck is a legitimate luxury for those privileged."

That doesn't even address the toxic positivity aspect of lucky girl syndrome. While a positive outlook on life can be a good thing, toxic positivity refers to the need to always be positive, even when life is objectively challenging. “Nobody feels positive all the time…nobody,” Gail Saltz, MD, associate professor of psychiatry at New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill-Cornell School of Medicine and host of the Personology podcast, told Shape. If this is the case, "it means that a person is using denial, repression, or a defense mechanism to ignore other feelings in order to always be 'on top'."

Although Grant is all for positive thinking and believing in himself, he is wary of the trend of lucky girl syndrome. “Those who believe it can/will/work, and then actually try it, only to find that it doesn’t produce the desired result, may then become resentful, angry, resentful, jealous, emotionally dysregulated, or even doubting themselves,” he says.

If you're seeing #luckygirlsyndrome all over your FYP and aren't sure what to make of it, here's the bottom line. Positive thinking can be a good thing, but there is a fine line between appreciating the benefits of hope and suggesting to others that all their wildest dreams will come true if they simply change their attitude.