Make your own luck with this jar of positive messages

Why spend your time wishing and hoping for luck to come your way when you can make your own?

There's an old saying that luck is opportunity plus preparation. While you're waiting for your opportunity — to play professional ball, write a best-selling novel or whatever your dream might be — get yourself ready.

When opportunity knocks, you'll want to be confident you're ready for whatever challenge lies ahead. Negative thoughts or beliefs about ourselves can keep us from grabbing opportunities when they come (and the bad things we say about ourselves usually aren't true!) but saying nice, positive things about ourselves can help us reach our goals.

For this simple craft, you'll need:

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Jar

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Scissors

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Paper

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Pen

Read the positive affirmations below, then think of your own. What words pick you up when you're feeling down? What would you say to cheer up a friend? Write those statements down on your paper.

Then carefully cut out all what you wrote down, fold them up, and put them in your jar. Fish one out every day (or as often as you want) and repeat it to yourself. This mantra will remind you that you can handle anything — lucky day or not.

Some suggestions:

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I am perfect exactly as I am

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My friends like me for who I am

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There is power within me

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I get better every single day

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All of my problems have solutions

Comments: molly.duffy@thegazette.com