What superstitions actively affect your life?

[PinkFing]

As in you adhere to them every day:

I’ll start
Magpies can make or break my day

I can’t handle salt without chucking some over my left shoulder.

I have to touch wood
to avoid cursing something I say.

The beginning of each month starts with lots of rituals to avoid bad luck (white rabbits, pinch punch etc) I used to take the words ‘white rabbits’ to the ceiling of my bunk as a kid so it’s be the first thing I said!!

I used to avoid all the cracks in the pavement as a kid but managed to stop that.

There’s probably loads more but over to you

It is considered unlucky for a ship to set sail on a friday, to whistle on board a ship or mention the word 'rabbits', though I am unsure of the rationale behind any of these. Don't impact on my life though, as I am not a sailor!
Peacock feathers considered unlucky in a house because it introduces the 'evil' eye' into the dwelling.
A robin coming in to the house or an owl sitting on the roof is daid to foretell a death.
Snowdrops, Lilac and May blossom are also considered unlucky in a house, but a Rowan tree outside is said to keep witches away!

None!
I don't generally walk under ladders but that is down to common sense rather than superstition.

Why is the lilac one unlucky? I've never heard that.

Have to cross my fingers if I walk past someone on the stairs.
I salute one magpie.
Salt over left shoulder.

Never heard about lilac flowers, but I know that purple flowers were either unlucky or signified death - not sure which.
Also never to have red and white flowers together as it is unlucky, to do with blood and bandages. If you insist on having these two colours together you should hide one different coloured flower in with them to break the bad luck. Florists often hide a small blue flower in a bouquet.

@IsolaPribby - in answer to why, I think to give a measure of control, especially if you have had a run of out-of-your-control misfortune. My mid-late 20s were shit despite my best efforts. Superstitions logically do nothing but felt like a fight back against attracting further bad luck when that was all I seemed to attract.
Now, with more to lose and more happiness they are to guard the precious. They won't really stop a bad thing or change an outcome - like an ultimately doomed marriage, but they can put you in a better mindset about something.

@DropYourSword - I spent 4 years in retail and we never said the "Q-word" for that reason. It's a jinx!

This thread has also reminded me that I have never been able to keep an evil eye talisman. I've had them on jewellery and they always break or disappear on me. Even when I've been careful. I wonder what that says about my overall good fortune!

Magpies, no peacock feathers in the house (I love peacock feathers, too) no snowdrops indoors, knocking on wood, knocking heard in walls, mirrors falling off walls, staring into mirrors, black cats crossing my path…. I had a VERY superstitious nanna when I was little, and all her eccentricities seem to have stuck with me too..

@GeneLovesJezebel the red & white I know of- including to not wear the two without a third colour as they're blood and tears. I didn't know the purple flower thing. I'm from lavender country and have a jug of local dried lavender in my room. I also want it worked into my wedding flowers... maybe not!

not superstitions per say but im a very big believer in karma

religions wise im a atheist all the way but i live my life very karma based and spreading positivity.

take last week my friend and i (who's a white witch and in to crystal healing)made a pact that for 7 whole days we would spread positivity where ever we can.
what i did was online(Facebook, tiktok mostly as i dont use any other socials )every comment i made was a compliment or spreading good vibes and the feedback i got was amazing

ive had private messages on both platforms thanking me for making their day

i wasn't looking for validation off anyone but just my little comment made their day enough to them to reach out to a stranger to thank them

i follow a Australian singer on tik tok hes about 18/19 but looks 12 and is very camp and obviously gay(no offence in my terms)
hes a lovely boy and amazing singer
all he gets is shit for being him and my comment(i said listen mate you ignore all the shit and carry on being you, as you are great and very talented) in amongst a range or abuse made him text me to thank me so much for that

I always walk under ladders.

@GeneLovesJezebel

Never heard about lilac flowers, but I know that purple flowers were either unlucky or signified death - not sure which. Also never to have red and white flowers together as it is unlucky, to do with blood and bandages. If you insist on having these two colours together you should hide one different coloured flower in with them to break the bad luck. Florists often hide a small blue flower in a bouquet.

This is very weird. And completely off-topic.

For no reason at all last week, I was visited by the memory of supporting Gene Loves Jezebel at the Rock Garden. I thought, "Man, it must be forty years since I thought of Gene Loves Jezebel. I wonder whether, if I said those words to any of my contemporaries, they'd even remember what the phrase referred to."

And three days later, it pops up in a thread on MumsNet.

I mean, utterly offtopic, but interesting to at least two of us, I think. And a good band too.