Superstitions

Superstition, according to the Oxford Dictionary definition , is "the belief that particular events happen in a way that cannot be explained by reason or science; the belief that particular events bring good or bad luck" While there are widely known superstitions such as 13 being unlucky, knocking on wood to not jinx something, walking under a ladder, black cats, and many more but many people also have their own personal superstitions. 

With my being an athlete most of my personal superstitions lie within competitions whether it be the build up to one or during. Some of them for me are certain hairstyles for certain sports such as double dutch for only triathlons and either a couple smaller braids into a straightened ponytail or a small dutch braid into a single French braid for track. 

While some people argue that superstitions don't mean anything, that's something I beg to differ. When you have a superstition that if you do it you do well or do bad your mind is set on that outcome. The mind is a powerful thing and if you expect an outcome of you doing well you believe in yourself more making you more confident and more likely to achieve that particular thing and vice versa with something bad.