TikTok’s new fad is being positive

Positive thoughts, invoked through daily mantras like “everything will be alright” and “I’m lucky”, is a confident attitude towards the world. This is the essence of the new TikTok trend called Lucky Girl Syndromeor lucky girl syndrome in Portuguese, whose hashtag already has more than 130 million views on the network. “We can see that this phrase is the type of video content that fits into the ‘motivational’ category on the TikTok platform, which has more than 9 billion videos with this theme”, stated Clarissa Millfordfounder of the TikTokers Academy.

The Chinese application has positioned itself since the beginning as a platform where people can learn practices to apply in their lives in a 15-second video. According to Clarissa, the manifestation of “lucky girl syndrome” is very similar to the Buzz of manifestations at the time of the release of the book and film “The Secret”.

“Among the many reasons these videos reach so many views and also global levels of impact, two can be highlighted: volume of comments and shares”, concluded Clarissa. Still according to the specialist, the fact that this type of video carries an impersonal tone, of self-knowledge and self-help, it has a high potential to be shareable and become viral.

But does it work? The debate among experts on the trend

While most of the videos on the net extol the trend, with experiences and tips from those who have already been “manifesting” it for some time, specialists are more cautious and point out the dangers that may be masked. For the postgraduate coordinator in positive psychology and creator of the International Congress on Happiness, the largest congress on the subject in Latin America, Gustavo Arnsthe trend is positive.

“I see this trend as something very cool. Unlike others that incite bullying and violence, leading to death, this practice encourages our girls to believe in themselves, in what they are capable of, and that it is possible to achieve their goals.”said Gustavo.

According to the coordinator, the girl’s syndrome is not new: it is just a new look for a subject that has been debated and studied for centuries. “Buddha said that the world around us is the work of our own making. In medicine, the placebo effect is very common. So, it can be discussed along different lines: spiritual, philosophical, scientific. However, it would be frivolous of me to say that for something to happen, it is enough to believe. If that were the case, there would be lots of lottery winners.” put.

Moving towards your goals is important, after all, the diploma, the new house, and the trip of your dreams will not arrive if you remain in the realm of ideas. There are different forms of action and one of them is the Woop method, from a professor of psychology at New York University, Gabriele Oettingen. The method is to think about your goal and the obstacles between you and it, and then think of solutions to overcome them.

“Within Positive Psychology, optimism is harmful when it ‘blinds’ you to the challenges along the way. Thinking negatively, like Professor Oettingen, has its benefits. Of course, in moderation, so you don’t get caught in a spiral of negativity.”scored.

For him, the trend is, deep down, a self-fulfilling prophecy. Term coined by sociologist Robert K. Mertonis an initially false definition that provokes a new behavior and, consequently, the change of the definition to true.

“When you have a problem in front of you or there’s something you’d like to achieve but don’t believe you’re capable of, chances are you won’t achieve it, because your emotions and your attitude follow your thinking. Now, when you believe you are capable, your emotions – and your actions – find that thought and there is a better chance of success.”concluded Gustavo.