How long does bad luck last? Does a low point really have an end?
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A few years ago, a visitor sent me a long message late at night.
He said:
"Brother, I've been unlucky for two years."
His work was constantly going downhill.
His income decreased.
His relationships failed.
His physical condition was also getting worse.
He said what he feared most was not the current problems.
But that this state would never end.
In fact, such problems are more common than many people imagine.
What many people find most unbearable during a slump is not the pain itself.
But not knowing when the pain will end.
Why are some people's slumps short?
Some people have bad luck for a few months.
Some for half a year.
Some for a year.
Or even longer.
The difference often doesn't entirely come from luck.
But from their reactions during the slump.
Some people, after encountering problems:
- Adjust their state.
- Improve their environment.
- Change their habits.
- Seek help.
And thus, the slump gradually ends.
While others:
- Become constantly anxious.
- Experience long-term internal conflict.
- Make impulsive decisions.
- Continuously self-deprecate.
As a result, the original problems are continuously amplified.
As the ancients said:
"If you are in distress and don't change, the distress deepens."
Many times, what prolongs a slump is not fate.
But remaining in the same state for too long.
Why do I feel like I'm constantly having bad luck?
Human memory is selective.
When several bad things happen consecutively, the brain starts to focus specifically on negative events.
Thus:
One failure is remembered.
One mistake is magnified.
One argument is replayed repeatedly.
Over time, people develop a feeling:
That everything is against them.
But in reality, life naturally experiences ups and downs.
It's just that during a slump, people are more likely to see the bad side.
How does Taoism view slumps?
As the ancients said:
"When winter ends, spring comes."
Taoism never believes that fortune will remain in one state forever.
Heaven and Earth have four seasons.
Tides ebb and flow.
Human fortune is the same.
There's a saying in the "Tao Te Ching":
Reversion is the movement of the Tao.
Meaning that when things develop to a certain stage, they often begin to change in another direction.
Therefore, Taoism does not view a slump as an end.
But as a process of change.
Why do some people change their lives after a slump?
After interacting with many people over the years, I've found:
Many of life's biggest changes actually happen during the lowest points.
Choosing a new direction after losing a job.
Re-evaluating oneself after a failure.
Readjusting life after a setback.
The ancients called it:
"When things reach an extreme, they turn for the better."
It's not that good luck suddenly arrives.
It's that people begin to change during a slump.
And change ultimately drives new fortunes.
What are the most common mistakes made during a slump?
First: Rushing for quick success
Wanting to turn things around immediately.
Wanting to make money immediately.
Wanting to change the status quo immediately.
Resulting in making wrong decisions.
Second: Constantly self-deprecating
Believing oneself to be incapable.
Believing oneself to be born unlucky.
Resulting in less and less initiative.
Third: Long-term self-depletion
Staying up late.
Anxiety.
Insomnia.
Overthinking.
All of these further affect one's state.
The ancients believed:
"When spirit is depleted, vital energy declines; when vital energy declines, fortune weakens."
Someone who constantly depletes themselves finds it hard to recover quickly.
Why did the ancients use talismans during slumps?
Many people believe talismans are for changing one's fate.
But traditional Taoist practices emphasize more:
Restoring righteousness.
Calming the mind.
Steadying the spirit.
Luck-enhancing talismans are often used during life's low points.
They don't replace action.
But help people stabilize themselves again when lost and anxious.
And calming talismans help people restore inner peace under long-term stress.
Fortune-extending talismans are used more after one's luck begins to recover.
Therefore, different talismans correspond to different stages.
How to tell if a slump is about to end?
Many times, some changes appear before a slump ends.
For example:
- Sleep begins to improve.
- Emotions gradually stabilize.
- One begins to act again.
- New opportunities appear.
- Willingness to plan for the future.
These changes may seem small.
But they often mean that a person's state has begun to recover.
And the recovery of one's state often marks the beginning of a change in fortune.
If you are currently in a slump, what can you do first?
First, stop depleting yourself further.
Second, maintain a regular routine.
Third, tidy your environment.
Fourth, reduce impulsive decisions.
Fifth, re-establish goals.
The ancients said:
"Stillness leads to stability, stability leads to opportunity."
Many turning points don't appear suddenly.
But slowly arrive after a person has regained stability.
Conclusion
Bad luck doesn't last forever.
A slump won't stay forever either.
Sometimes, we feel the time is especially long because we are in it.
But looking back, many people will realize.
Those stages once thought endless eventually became part of life.
What truly matters is not how long a slump lasts.
But whether we are still willing to move forward during the slump.
Related Reads
"Why do bad things always happen one after another?"
"What should you avoid during bad luck?"
"What are the signs that good luck is coming?"