I have two auto immune disorders that require 24/7 management.

Our daughter has a life altering physical disability and her own chronic heart condition.

I’m a cancer survivor.

My husband works in an extremely dangerous profession.

We’ve navigated loss, grief, rage, fear, sadness, and heartbreak over our lifetime.

We also have left a lot up to serendipity.

We learned to stay open to opportunities, adventures, and stepping out of our comfort zones.

We learned to pivot when a health challenge was dropped in our laps.

We awakened to new opportunities to improve the lives of people with disabilities–becoming a strong voice for people like Callie.

We shifted our goals to accommodate new ways of being, new ways of thinking, and new ways of navigating through the world.

As much as we tried to hold on to our idea of what life “should” look like, the Universe has always had other beautiful plans for us.

And we’ve leaned on the power of serendipity to help us stay open to new opportunities and chance encounters that can realign and reposition us to who we’re actually meant to be.

Here’s how to use the power of serendipity to achieve your goals:

What is Serendipity?

Serendipity is the occurrence of unexpected events by chance, often for our own benefit. You might have experienced this when thinking of an old friend you haven’t talked to in awhile, and then randomly that exact friend sends you a text message.

You might also experience this when you’ve been focused on one specific goal, yet another opportunity presents itself that’s even better than what you could have imagined for yourself.

The power of serendipity lies in the unexpected. The unplanned and the unexpected.

And, as our family quickly realized, your destiny isn’t fixed. We may find ourselves heading down one career path for most of our lives, making progress, and getting promoted. Then one day, we wake up and realize it’s not what we want anymore. It’s not who we are anymore. Or, the universe jumps in and presents us with a new job opportunity, seemingly out of the blue.

Serendipity can also mean unexpectedly finding something good. Like when you find a $20 bill in the pocket of a pair of jeans you haven’t worn in months. You totally forgot it was even there, but it presented itself to you in a delightful and opportune way.

Be Open to the Unexpected

One of my favorite examples of experiencing serendipity in my own life is when I met my husband, James. I had recently gotten out of a not so great relationship and was not looking for a relationship at all.

I met him one night through friends and was instantly intrigued. But I had told myself for months that I wasn’t looking for love (cue all the normal tropes).

I kept feeling the nudges though.  Little glimmers of what magic could happen if I was only willing to open myself up to what the Universe had instore for me.

Something told me this was an opportunity I didn’t want to pass up.

Something told me to stick around and see what happened.

Something told me that he was different.

More than sixteen years later, James and I are married and living a bold, beautiful life together. I’m not sure if it was the typical  “love story” that you see in the movie theaters but it was certainly serendipity. I was focused on not falling in love, and yet I let myself be open to possibility.

When you stay open to possibility, new opportunities step in to present themselves.

One way I like to incorporate this into my goal & dream planning is with the phrase, “or something even better.”

For example: “I will get published on three platforms by end of the quarter, or something even better.”

Or: “I will become a licensed archery coach by May 1, or something even better.”

We often limit ourselves to what we think we can get or what feels realistic (aka safe) to us. And by doing so, we can’t always see another path or another option. “Or something even better” allows you to stay open to unexpected whimsical possibilities without trying to force something to happen.

Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing in a given moment. It’s about observing the moment without judgment and not being overly reactive to or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.

We all have this ability to be present, and by strengthening it with daily practice, we’re more able to tap into its powers when we need it – like paying attention to serendipity.

Each time you bring your awareness (or pay attention) to your environment or what you’re doing by using your five senses, you’re being mindful. You’re also practicing mindfulness when you bring your awareness to your inner world – what you’re thinking or feeling at a given moment.

It’s a simple practice, yet it’s not always easy. By committing to yourself and to a daily mindfulness practice, you’ll build on your natural ability to be mindful. And in turn, you’ll build awareness to the unexpected, yet beneficial, moments in your life.

Mindfulness helps you stay open to unexpected opportunities, because you’ll be more likely to notice them. Opportunities can pass us by if we’re not looking for them, so practicing mindfulness allows you to acknowledge the opportunity and choose to pursue it.

Related: Ways I’m Learning to Listen to My Intuition

 Ask for a Sign

Once you start practicing mindfulness, you’ll be able to spot serendipity right away when it happens in your life. That chance encounter with someone in line at the farmer’s market might turn into a career, business, or personal opportunity.

The 57 page slide deck you thought you lost when your computer crashed might just make room for even more profound insights, lessons, and wisdom to come through on draft number two (I hate when this happens, but it always turns out for the better!).

But how can you know for sure if what you’re experiencing is serendipity, or if it’s just a random coincidence?

Stick with me here…….

You can ask the Universe for a sign.

You can ask for a sign to know if the serendipitous event you just experienced is something you should pursue, or if it’s better to continue with your original plan.

To start, choose a sign. It can be anything – an animal, a flower, a lucky number or sequence of numbers, a certain symbol or object. Choose something that you’re not likely to see every day, something that’s a bit rare.

My sign is a cardinal. I struggled for a long time to find the “perfect” sign. I put a lot of pressure on myself to find something meaningful yet rare. Something I wouldn’t expect to see. A few things came to mind, but I never felt connected to them. And I never saw them when I asked for a sign.

Then, one day, as I was working on what I call my “Financial Freedom Plan,” (aka my budget), I saw a bright red cardinal in our bushes outside.  I immediately thought of my grandparents farm in Illinois where we would see cardinals all the time.  Living in Texas, cardinals aren’t as common of a sighting though.

And I didn’t think about it again.

Later that same day, I received unexpected funds in the exact amount to pay off the last of my school loan. I reveled in the serendipity of the moment and thanked the Universe for intervening and showing me “or something better.”

The next day, I got my sign AGAIN. As I was making my morning coffee, I spotted another cardinal in the bushes in our backyard.  I watched her for awhile, and it looked like she was waiting for something. Then she took flight and I saw ANOTHER cardinal flying with her. Not one, but two cardinals showed up for me!

I had my sign.

Let your sign come easily to you. Don’t try to force it. Choose the first thing that pops into your mind and stick with it. Pennies, owls, double rainbows, foxes, hearts, whatever it may be.  Then, ask the Universe to show you your sign whenever you need support, guidance, or want to know if you’re on the right path.

Most importantly, be patient! The Universe works on it’s own divine timing – you may not get your sign right away, and that’s okay! Continue being mindful and paying attention to the little things. Keep moving forward with your goals and actions, and your sign will be revealed if and when the time is right.

And it’s a good reminder that you may not get your sign at all. And that’s a sign too! You might need to choose something more in alignment with your values. It might also mean that you need to reevaluate your actions, decisions, or next steps. It’s not to say that the choice you made was wrong; it’s a chance to check in with yourself, take inventory of your progress, and refresh your goals as needed.

Revisit Your Goals

Now that you’re practicing mindfulness, paying attention to serendipity, and asking the Universe for your sign, it’s time to circle back to your goals.

When a serendipitous event leads you to a new opportunity, it’s a chance to refresh your plans. Is the new opportunity still in alignment with your overall priorities and core values? Is it in alignment with your goals for the future, or is it time to set new goals (level up) based on this new information?

It’s also a great opportunity to journal about your experience or write it in a list of accomplishments. Sometimes, we forget about the good, whimsical, and unexpected things that happen to us, so a written account helps us remember our experiences and achievements.

The Takeaway

Setting clear, actionable goals helps you focus on achieving what’s important to you. Staying open to the power of serendipity helps you remain flexible when things don’t go as planned, or when you’re invited to an even better opportunity. We can’t always see the path ahead, so practicing mindfulness and paying attention to the small things helps steer us in the right direction.

Take action now: Start with a mindfulness practice. Throughout the day, pay attention to your thoughts, images you see, or phrases you hear. Notice what you haven’t noticed before. Did you see or hear something that could help you achieve your goals? Then, choose your sign. Don’t think too much about it – choose the first thing that comes to mind. Ask the Universe to show you your sign whenever you want to know if you’re experiencing serendipity.

And then, let the Universe delight you in all sorts of magical ways.