Line BreakAuthor: Steven Aitchison (399 Articles)
The owner of this blog. Proud father, doting husband, blogger, hire me as freelance writer, and addiction worker
Coincidences are defined by the New Oxford Dictionary of English as:
“A remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances without apparent causal connection.”
How then can we increase coincidences in our life? This is what this article will look at and hopefully help you on your path to reaching your goals quicker and easier.
A look at coincidence
For a coincidence to have any meaning we first have to recognize the importance of a coincidence and it’s meaning. That is to say, a coincidence is not a coincidence if we don’t recognize it as such.
How then to recognize a coincidence. When our minds are open to the possibilities of coincidences we will see them more and perhaps act on them. Acting on a coincidence simply means; recognizing it and doing something with it, if possible.
To give you an example of a coincidence which was acted upon. I have been thinking about writing a book for a while now and was still swithering whether or not to do it. A few weeks ago I jumped in the car, turned on the radio and hear Elvis Costello singing ‘Everyday I write the book’, a song I haven’t heard on the radio for over 20 years. I immediately thought that it was strange and started laughing to myself (not something I do all the time). I keep driving but switch radio stations and hear the radio presenter interviewing someone. The presenter had just finished asking his question, so when I tuned in I heard the guests reply: “If you’ve got a book inside you, the flame keeps burning. The only way to put the flame out is to write the book and get it out there.” or words to that effect.
To the person observing from the outside that seems like a coincidence of no particular importance. To me it meant something totally different and I acted on it, taking it as a sign. Whether it is a sign or not is irrelevant, the fact is that had I not heard the radio that day I might not have decided to write the book and try and get representation.
So, coincidences, whether you see them as chance happenings or divine messages can change your life. We all know of stories of amazing coincidences and how someone’s life has changed as a result of a coincidence. Why then don’t we try to increase our chances of a coincidence happening to us.
5 Steps to increasing your coincidence factor
1. Open up your mind
It does not matter if you know coincidence to be a matter of probability or if you believe it’s a sign from the ‘world mind’, opening up your mind to coincidences will increase your chances of spotting them and acting upon them.
2. Look for the signs
When we concentrate on our goals in life the chances are that you will see signs pertaining to your goals. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for these signs. The signs will be obvious. I am not talking about signs that would take a cryptographer months to figure out as we could read anything we see and hear to be a sign if we really look hard enough. I am talking about the obvious, in your face, signs, like the example I gave above.
3. Follow the signs
When you spot a coincidence, follow it, if you can, and see where it leads you. The signs might not lead you anywhere but it’s a hell of a lot of fun following them and sometimes they will lead you to a life changing event. Sometimes the coincidences just encourage us to keep going or give us a personal message, a message that is there for everyone to see however a message which we can take as a sign for ourselves.
4. Get yourself out there
Chance meetings, strange coincidences, and divine messages will never happen if we hole ourselves up in a bedroom with no TV, radio, or contact with the outside world. So, to increase your chances of reaching your goals in life quicker and to increase your coincidence factor, take action toward your goals. Taking action means putting yourself in alignment with your goals and seeking out ways to increase your chances of reaching your goals. If you want to be a famous chef, you’ll never get anywhere if you just cook for yourself.
5. The snowball effect
Once you have started opening up and accepting coincidences in your life, you will start to notice them more often. I believe this is you aligning yourself with an energetic force, an invisible force which can be used to better your life and the lives of others. The more you open up the more you will receive.
Esoteric nonsense?
Is this just a lot of new age nonsense, not worth the pixels on your computer? Only you can decide that.
“From the small cracks in life, lie the biggest opportunities”



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Increasing what you experience every day will always increase coincidences. Breaking out of routine and the normalcy of every day will open us up to all sorts of coincidences.
Jonathan Frei´s last blog ..The Myth of Self Reliance
Hi Jonathan. Very true what you’re saying, you have to be in the game of life for the opportunities to come your way.
Which is more important: for you to look for signs and follow them, or for signs to look for you and reach out to you?
Ari Herzog´s last blog ..Teachers Beware: Facebook May Cause Firing
Hi Ari. I think being open to the signs is the most important, if you’re not open you won’t recognise the signs that come your way.
Hi Steve, I just loved this whole concept. Most people think that coincidences just happen randomly and that they have nothing to do with any action on their part. Thanks for shining a little light on this!
Jonathan – Advanced Life Skills´s last blog ..50 Timeless Life Lessons
You’re right Jonathan, it’s like the law of attraction, a lot of people think you can sit on your behind, munch a bag of crisps, watch TV and then send thoughts out there asking for their ideal partner – never going to happen if no action is taken.
Steven, coincidence has given me many valuable advises so far. It always surprises me, how the universe works sometimes. I might open a book and just read the answer to a question I asked just some hours before, or I might talk to a friend and they say something (in a totally unrelated context) that opens up a new perspective in a pressing problem of mine.
Open up yourself to the possibilities and you will see, that there is definitely something that is guiding us. Just try it.
Patrick @ unwrapyourmind.com´s last blog ..UNWRAPPED: 4 Steps to Release Any Burden From Your Soul
Hi Patrick. I have met so many people in a coincidental way, especially on the internet. I’ve also noticed a strange phenomenon whereby I say a word, something silly like ‘love’ and the radio, TV, intenet or something will flash the word up or say it on a programme, it’s quite strange and can’t quite figure out what it means. Anyway, I am digressing
Opening yourself up definitely works and it’s not just a new age hippy thing.
Thanks for your post Patrick, I think everyone of the readers of CYT are in for a real treat next week when it’s published, thank you. I’ll email you later about it.
I’ll tell you about a coincidence that happened to me lately. I am still in a little shock.
I wanted to start a project/business that was kind of a big deal for me. But for a long time I was finding excuses why not to start it. Then one day I was thinking why I do it and the thought came to my head – I don’t want to do it alone. After thinking of all the people I know who I could offer to partner with me, turned out no one fit. And then I was thinking that if my old childhood friend of 15 years was here with me, we would start it together. Unfortunately we now live on two different sides of the world, so that is not possible. Two days later I met a girl that wanted to do something very similar to what I wanted to do. The coincidence is that the girl has the same name as my friend I was thinking about. Well, after talking to her for some time turns out she has a degree in psychology (my friend has the same degree) and her birthday is 05.16.1981, my friend’s – 05.15.1981. It’s been a month since we known each other – the project started and seems like I found a great new friend. Is it amazing or what? So I am a big believer in coincidences.
P.S. This is probably the longest comment I ever posted, but I really wanted to share my story:)
Lana – DreamFollowers Blog´s last blog ..How To Stop Making Decisions Based On Fear
That’s a great story Lana. I really hope your new project is a success and I love long comments so thank you for sharing.
Great article Steve – and the topic of coincidences and serendipity keeps showing up in my life right now.
I agree with what you said about getting off your backside and getting out there, rather than sitting there meditating about what you want and expecting everything to come to you!
3 months ago I decided to take my blogging to a new level and since then lots of “coincidences” have led to new friends, ideas, design and direction.
It is clear that having made myself open to this idea has led to lots of “coincidences”. Much more to come:-)
Arvind Devalia´s last blog ..How to Suffer Excruciating Pain and Live Again
Arvind you are doing brilliant in the blogging world and I can see that you will get all you deserve after all the hard work you have been putting in.
What a great topic… since your serendipity guest post I’ve been noticing more coincidences myself.
It’s nice to be open to them and keep them in mind. I think life is always giving us clues but we don’t always receive them, because we’re not open.
I, too have a book inside me… I like the quote from the radio presenter.
I’m glad you’ve decided to write it; I’m looking forward to it.
Cheers,

Miche
Miche | Serenity Hacker´s last blog ..Accepting Suffering and A Call for Compassion
Hi Miche. Get the book out there otherwsie it will burn a hole in your mind
lol! Maybe that’s where my frequent headaches come from!!! I thought they were simple from spending too much time in front of the computer!

Miche | Serenity Hacker´s last blog ..3 Keys to Emotional Serenity
Great article Steven. In part, I get a tiny feeling it’s somehow similar to my article How To Be Lucky. Now that is another coincidence. Stumbled.
Karlil´s last blog ..20 Commandments That Makes A Man
Hi Nik. I checked back when I first started writing this and I started writing this on the 15th October and finished it on the 18th October, the same day as you published How To Be Lucky
Ahh….magnanimous coincidences can be such a beautiful surprise!!
I wasn’t one to be bothered about coincidences before…but now that I have learned the value of life and the universal plan..I can safely say…coincidences make the world go round
I believe in the online world..Twitter is my fav coincidence…I have met some lovely people and learned so many things I now know i was supposed to.
Hi Zeenat. The online world is a great place for coincidences occuring.
Okay Stephen now you are freaking me out! I thought I was the only one that the TV thing happened to. It was becoming so frequent I started to keep record of it, also wondering what it meant, if anything. But then it was soooooo frequent I got fed up and stopped. The wierdest times were really uncommon crazy words I’d utter like ’supercalifragilistic…..’
Okay, then I randomly clicked another link and read how you had used Pachelbel as your wedding theme. Do you know how many folks have asked to use a song of mine with that exact tune embedded in it for their weddings??!!
Coincidence???!!
Also – even if it is esoteric nonsense – one can still use it to one’s own benefit.
Yeah, I’m not the only weirdo
It’s strange isn’t it, I can’t quite figure it out yet.
There’s coincidences all around and music is a great way to connect people, as you already know being a musician and songwriter.
You’re right if it works for us why question it?

Steven Aitchison´s last blog ..5 Steps To Increasing Your Coincidence Factor
When do you see some people using rare objects that you have what it means? Do you need to act on this or do you need to find from your mind what’s the message there?
When coincidences come to me, they usually remind me that I’m going on the right path, and things are flowing together nicely in the universe. I really enjoyed this blog post and I can see how using those techniques described above can bring more of these coincidences. Awesome!
Hi Kevin, thanks for visiting CYT. That is a great way to look at coincidences and to judge if you are on the correct path or not.
Am I the only one who finds that stock photo just a little bit inspiring? Do you by any chance have a larger version?
James I purchased this at istockphoto.com you can buy it here http://www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup.php?id=6416445
Hope that helps
There aren’t any coincidences. There is only life. If there are some specific signs that you should follow a certain path, then do it. It takes a while to understand that signs are not always as visible as road signs, but after a while you get used to it.
So, if you want to get form city A to city B and follow the road signs for that, why not following the signs from “I want to write a book” city to “I already wrote a book” city. It’s a matter of option. Which city do you chose to travel to.
Dragos Roua´s last blog ..The Tyler Durden Guide of Writing Tyler Durden Enhanced Blog Posts To Attract Traffic
Hi Dragos
I like your way of thinking about this, it’s sucha a great way to think about life and easier as well.
Steven Aitchison´s last blog ..Sunday Siesta – The Best of Change Your Thoughts
Hi Steven, I find your articles really interesting. With regards to the coincidence factor, I never really noticed that it existed until you mentioned it! I’ll give your advice a try and see if it really increases my coincidence factor. Thanks for sharing all your wonderful insights.
Nikka´s last blog ..Creating That Connection
Thanks for your comments Nikka, I really appreciate that.
Steven Aitchison´s last blog ..Sunday Siesta – The Best of Change Your Thoughts
All the answers are around us; the challenge is to recognize them.
Justin Dixon- AlittleBetter.net´s last blog ..How Chasing Passion Makes Us Better
Fab post Steve. I was in a restaurant with a friend recently and she was talking about an instrument she used to play but gave up. I said to her that maybe it might be good to take it up again. Just at that moment a song came on and the intro was only with that instrument. I believe those are signs that you’re on the right track!

Amit Sodha´s last blog ..Choose Your Inspirational Acronym For The Week
Hi Stephen, nice post.
“Snowball effect” is a great name for what you described in the last step!
Two years ago I was at a competition where I met a guy from Serbia.. he was the coolest guy from the whole group who was there and we had a really good conversation. Now, this summer, two years later, I was at a camp in Hungary, where I met possibly one of my best friends, a girl from Serbia, Lizi, who just a few weeks ago sent me his brother’s website address. After recovering from the shock that hit me when I read the guy’s “about me” page, I told Lizi: “you know.. this very guy was in the same room as me two years ago at a competition.. the world is really small”
Zoli
Zoli Cserei´s last blog ..Green is the new Digital!
Steven Aitchison
We were talking about wheather coincidence really happens or not , its a coincidence that we get into your blog , its great to share
Thank you keep it up with your work