Lucky Girl Syndrome. Heard of it? It is a popular TikTok trend, #luckygirl, that has garnered the attention of over 250 million people. I am not one of those 250 million, but I did happen to stumble across an article about the trend and am somewhat fascinated – but more saddened – at just how many people have been captivated by this method of “manifestation”. According to the trend, if you recite positive affirmations on a daily basis – something along the lines of “I am so lucky” or “Everything always works out for me” – you will turn your dreams into a reality. Simple as that. 

One of the apparent headliners of this trend says, “Just try to be as delusional as possible and believe that the things you want can come to you.” I’m curious whether or not this woman understands the meaning of the word delusional. Synonyms include confused, unrealistic, deranged, even neurotic – none of which I strive “to be”. 

The foundation of this syndrome is nothing new. It’s a form of positive thinking, a repackaging of the law of attraction that harkens back to the 1800s and claims “the energy from our thoughts attracts whatever we experience in our life.” I’m all for thinking positively about a situation and do my best to be a glass half-full kinda gal, but the popularity of this trend leaves me wondering at what point people will believe in something, or someone, bigger than themselves. 

This addiction to self-fulfillment is endemic within our culture and is foundationally flawed in the assumption that we actually know what is best for ourselves. Doubters of the  craze contend those who claim to have successfully manifested their dreams are already living within a more privileged class where opportunity and fortune are more common than not. I imagine this line of thinking, reducing one’s reality to the concept of luck, is nothing less than devastating to those living with real-world problems that can’t even remotely be addressed by positive affirmations.

The thousands of families trapped at our borders in a desperate search for a better life. The citizens of Ukraine – every last detail of the world they once knew and loved tragically stolen from them. The family that lost a loved one to unrelenting gun violence and astonishing disregard for human life. The friend who received a devastating medical diagnosis. The child living in fear from relentless bullying. Daily affirmations fall drastically short. 

We humans are a funny and stubborn breed. From the beginning of time, we’ve been pretty sure we can handle things ourselves and from the beginning of time we’ve failed – over and over and over again. The emptiness of this trend, to me anyway, screams the truth that we, as a society, are searching for something more – something deeper. We are tired. We want to hope and dream and believe better is possible. We are searching for wins among several years of hard, hard losses. While the end goal is everything we should be striving for, the way in which we seek it will leave us whole or wholly empty.

Maybe, just maybe, it’s time we start a new viral trend; something along the lines of #prayerchangesthings. A simple conversation with the One who can actually manifest great things. In Him – and only in Him – will we find ourselves truly “lucky”.