11 Superstitious Rules That Supposedly Protect You From Bad Things Happening
Lana Iva | Shutterstock Even though some are skeptical, it's rare that people don't have any hint of superstitious beliefs or rituals, according to a Journal of Individual Differences study.
The most skeptical people still can't help but take a chance with their well-being, relationships, or happiness, even if it seems silly to do some of these things in the moment. From wearing the same outfit on "game day" to slowing down your routine, the superstitious rules that supposedly protect you from bad things happening don't necessarily have to be "witchy" all the time. They can simply be self-care and wellness rituals.
Here are 11 superstitious rules that supposedly protect you from bad things happening
1. Slowing down daily tasks
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Even though so many of us today are operating from a place of chronic urgency, speeding through daily routines and stressing ourselves out for no reason, the most peaceful people intentionally slow down. It's one of their superstitious rules.
When they find themselves moving too quickly, they become impulsive and unregulated, creating more space for bad things to happen without their full attention on tasks. Even if that means taking a deep breath or letting their daily routines like brushing teeth and eating be slower and more intentional, they create space to regulate.
2. Taking a shower to cleanse bad energy
While warm showers before bed and baths after a long day can generally improve sleep and well-being, some people craft their bathing routines in a more superstitious way. It's a cleansing of their energy to protect themselves from bad things happening, and a ritual that creates a buffer between external stressors and internal peace.
When they're overwhelmed, they take a shower to drain all the tension from their bodies. When they had a rough day, a "charged" bath becomes the perfect setting to reinstate their inner peace. It may be superstitious to believe that showering or bathing is the key to inner energy work, but for them, it's essential.
3. Changing from 'outside' clothes to 'indoor' ones
If you refuse to wear your "outside" clothes to bed or to lounge in the germs that you encountered outside on your own couch, you might be superstitious. Of course, it's a cleanliness thing first for most people, but some may also be considered the basics of protecting their energy by following this rule.
They don't want to bring any bad vibes or energy from other people or spaces into their home. It's their safe space. So, to protect themselves from bad things happening and bad energy sabotaging their peace, they create a buffer between home and the outside world, whether that's removing clothes, showering, or doing some kind of nervous system reset before relaxing.
4. Opening windows to let fresh air inside
While time spent outside in nature promotes all kinds of physical and mental health benefits, simply letting fresh air inside by cracking a window can be equally healthy. That's why so many people are superstitious about leaving windows open and allowing fresh air in. They don't want negativity or stagnant, bad vibes stuck in their safe place.
Even on a more spiritual level, stagnant energy inside of your home needs to be circulated and released. Whether it's fresh air cleansing your home from a window or incense smoke shaking up that rigid energy, the more energy cleansing you can make space for, the more protected you are against energy drains and exhaustion.
5. Reading text messages twice
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Instead of reacting immediately to someone's texts or letting our emotions take over with a response we can't take back, someone who's superstitious about bad things happening acts with more intention, even if it's just on their phone.
Of course, in conversations, they reap all the benefits of pausing before they speak. But even online, they read text messages twice to avoid getting the wrong idea or misreading something.
6. Not making decisions when unregulated
As a study from the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience explains, decision-making is inherently affected by our emotional regulation skills. If someone's angry and frustrated, without any room to regulate themselves, their decisions mimic the impulsivity and tension they feel inside.
However, someone who regularly practices emotional regulation, even around stress or complex emotions, makes more thoughtful decisions in their best interests. They create a rule for themselves to take a step back, whether that's literally in a conversation or emotionally, to see the bigger picture.
Our emotions can feel "right" and permanent when they're intense, but the perspective of the situation, conversation, or personal state is essential for making sure they don't actually take over.
7. Sitting in complete silence after a busy day
Silence is a powerful wellness ritual for everyone, especially if you can cultivate it with a healthy, positive mindset. After a long, hard day, the people who are consistent with carving out silence or stillness are likely upholding some kind of superstitious rule.
They know that coming right from work and chaos to home only brings that dysregulated energy into their home, but if they take time to decompress immediately, they create a buffer between stress and peace.
8. Logging out of apps that drain your mood
So many things subtly drain our energy without us even realizing it, from our phones to people we've outgrown. However, when we're not intentional about self-awareness around these things and taking action to protect ourselves with boundaries and space, they can quickly become a regular part of our daily lives.
So, even if it might seem superstitious, the moment something starts to drain their energy or spark a negative feeling, the most secure people log out of the app on their phone. They refuse to put their well-being at stake for the sake of entertainment or distraction.
9. Trusting small urges and gut instincts
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Even during an analytical, emotion-free task, having a strong foundation of intuition to guide actions and decisions can actually improve confidence and accuracy for most people. However, feeding into self-trust and self-awareness around those gut feelings is the first step to leveraging them in a healthy manner.
So, even if it doesn't seem "superstitious" by traditional standards, if you start practicing listening to those gut instincts in the moment, even without a lot on the line, you cultivate a stronger sense of self-assuredness. You protect yourself from bad things happening because you have a strong internal radar for when things just aren't right before they spiral.
10. Cleaning when your mind feels jumbled
According to a Social Psychological and Personality Science study, daily cleaning rituals and tasks can actually promote better mental health and actively reduce stress. Our clutter and messiness at home might feel like an obligation because it brings up all kinds of stress and anxiety subtly in our minds and bodies, but the ritual of cleaning can actually mediate all kinds of stressors.
When someone makes the intentional choice to clean every day, even if it's just one small room in their hour or a work desk, they're actively calming their nervous system. Even if something doesn't go right or they're faced with an issue, their nervous system is ready to embrace it from a calmer, more regulated place.
11. Crafting an outfit that makes you feel good
Having a couple of outfits that you know you can rely on when you want to feel good, confident, or secure is a superstition that most people adopt. Whether it's a first date outfit or a set of clothes that you know will help you be confident on an important day at work, having these constants is great to mix self-expression with comfort.
Even if everything else goes wrong, at least the clothes you wear on your body and your feelings in them will bring a constant sense of calm and peace.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
