Lottery tickets are peculiar little things. For a few dollars, you buy yourself something potentially worth far more than the ticket itself.

For a few hours, you can imagine waking up tomorrow morning considerably richer than you were today.

Then something strange often happens.

People buy their ticket and immediately start explaining why they won’t win.

“I never win anything.”

“What are the chances?”

“It’ll probably be someone else.”

Hardly the sort of expectation Florence Scovel Shinn would have recommended.

Florence taught repeatedly about the power of expectation. Her philosophy was not simply about wanting something. It was about becoming receptive to good and refusing to constantly predict disappointment.

And a lottery ticket gives us a fascinating little opportunity to practice that.

Lottery Tickets and the Expectation of Good

Imagine Florence encountering today’s lottery.

I suspect she’d be fascinated.

Millions of people voluntarily buy a chance to receive an extraordinary amount of money, and then spend the rest of the week expecting absolutely nothing to happen.

You have to admit, it’s slightly odd.

This doesn’t mean you should convince yourself that your ticket must win. A lottery is still a game of chance, and the mathematical odds don’t suddenly change because you’ve been talking nicely to the Universe.

But your expectation can change.

Instead of buying a ticket while already preparing for disappointment, why not use the moment to practice expecting something good?

Not necessarily this ticket must win.

Something broader.

Something much more Florence.

Say THESE Words Before You Buy a Lottery Ticket

Here’s our little experiment.

The next time you decide to buy a lottery ticket, pause for a moment before you do.

Relax.

Smile.

And say:

“I expect wonderful surprises. Today, I give luck a chance to find me.”

That’s it.

No chanting it 147 times while standing on one leg facing north.

Just say it and mean it.

And here’s the fun part.

Repeat that sentence now, then leave it in the comments below:

I expect wonderful surprises. Today, I give luck a chance to find me.

Think of it as declaring yourself officially available for pleasant surprises.

Don’t Tell the Universe How to Deliver

This is the part I particularly like.

The affirmation doesn’t say:

“I must win tonight’s jackpot.”

It says you’re expecting wonderful surprises.

That’s a much bigger playing field.

Perhaps your numbers come up.

Perhaps you receive unexpected money from an entirely different source.

Perhaps an opportunity appears.

Perhaps someone contacts you.

Perhaps you simply have one of those extraordinary days when everything seems to fall beautifully into place.

Florence often wrote about allowing good to arrive through unexpected channels rather than dictating exactly how it must happen.

So buy the ticket if you enjoy playing.

Then get on with your life.

Don’t check it every eleven minutes. The numbers are unlikely to become more cooperative through intimidation.

And perhaps keep repeating that affirmation occasionally even when there isn’t a lottery ticket involved.

Because the really interesting idea isn’t whether seven little numbers can change your life.

It’s whether you can begin living with the expectation that something wonderful might.

Have a lucky day,

Keith

P.S. If you’d like to explore manifestation, Divine Guidance, the Law of Attraction, and the Law of Assumption in greater depth, take a look at The Manifestation Code by Keith Everett. It’s available now on Amazon.

P.P.S. Be sure to visit our YouTube channel, where you’ll discover inspiring videos exploring the timeless wisdom of Florence Scovel Shinn and other great manifestation teachers. New content is added regularly to help you create a happier, more abundant life.