August 18 is Serendipity Day, a day when we’re all encouraged to look for the unexpected good things in life. At a time when everyone could benefit from an extra dose of positivity, will you join me in a little serendipity on Thursday? It will be good for your soul!

What is serendipity?

Oxford Dictionaries defines serendipity as “the fact of something interesting or pleasant happening by chance.” Simply put, it’s a pleasant surprise that usually happens when you’re not looking, or when you’re looking for something altogether different.

All too often, we overlook life’s simple pleasures and focus on the negative. Serendipity Day is a great reminder that good things are always out there, if we just take the time to look for them.

Recognizing the awesome things in life

Just before the pandemic started, Neil Pasricha—author of The Book of Awesome—gave a talk at an employee town hall at my workplace. The timing of hearing Neil’s message was impeccable. None of us could have predicted what was to come just a few short weeks later. 

If you’re not familiar with The Book of Awesome, or Neil’s blog 1000 Awesome Things, it’s an interesting story.

In 2008, when he was 29, Neil’s marriage fell apart and his best friend took his own life. As a form of therapy during the lowest point of his life, he started a blog and posted one awesome thing every weekday for 1,000 days. Examples of awesome things include unexpected snow days, the aroma of your favourite bakery, and sleeping in new bed sheets.

The blog went viral, and Neil has since published several books on this serendipitous theme, including The Book of Awesome. It’s a fun read and provides an important reminder to always look for the positive, no matter how bleak things may seem.

My 12 examples of serendipity

To pick up on the theme of celebrating the awesomeness in life, here are 12 examples of serendipity that I came up with:

• The cashier opens a new checkout lane in the supermarket.
• Your favourite song is playing on the radio.
• You find money when decluttering your night table drawers.
• The rain stops and the sun comes out just in time for your lunch break.
• You turn on the TV to find your favourite movie playing.
• Every traffic light turns green for you as you drive home from work.
• You receive an unexpected “just because” greeting card in the mail.
• Your neighbour’s cat peers in the window at you when you’re sitting at your desk.
• A bird you’ve never seen before lands on your bird feeder.
• You clear customs and airport security in record time, and your flight is on time.
• The price of gas drops on the day the refuel light comes on in your car.
• You finish reading the last page of your book or magazine just as your train pulls into the station. 

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Celebrating Serendipity Day

With my ideas to get you started, here are some ways you can celebrate Serendipity Day on August 18:

• Make a conscious decision to slow down and take note of life’s pleasant surprises.
• Talk to others about the unexpected things that bring you joy.
• Write down the things you see, or at least make a mental note of them.
• Commit to starting a gratitude journal to record serendipitous things as they happen.
• Be the source of someone else’s serendipity by doing something nice for someone who least expects it.

It may seem like a whimsical holiday, but why not humour me and embrace the idea of Serendipity Day? What have you got to lose?

Do you have other examples of serendipity? Tell me about them below.