Have you ever wondered why some people seem to attract all of the luck and success? Have you ever compared yourself to them and thought, "Why can't I ever catch a break?" These thoughts are normal and I, along with many others, are guilty of thinking them.

But, these comparisons are dangerous. Once we start devaluing our own accomplishments and worth, we wind up sliding down a very slippery slope. For much of my life, I have compared myself to others around me in terms of intelligence, success, popularity and even appearance. But in return, for much of my life, I have harbored a lot of self - doubt and fear.

It was only recently, last year to be exact, that I started chasing after what I really wanted from life. It started with declaring a major that I had always loved, but was scared to commit to, and it ended with me landing a professional job on campus and an internship placement over the summer. Before this, I had convinced myself that I wasn't a good enough writer and that I would never be successful if I went down this particular path. I was wrong, and I ended up surprising myself.

Taking that first step, even though it was as simple as declaring a major, was the catalyst for me finding myself and having the opportunity to go after what I wanted most in my life. I found it incredible that once I started to believe that I had this potential, I started to actually produce results that matched my mindset.

I suddenly had the desire to get involved with everything that surrounded me. I joined two publications, one online and one written, and even managed to work my way up to becoming a contributing editor of one of them. For the first time in my life, I looked at what I had achieved and who I had become, and was proud.

This isn't an article about what I have accomplished, but rather about what these accomplishments prove about the power of our minds. Whether we consciously realize it or not, our thoughts greatly influence our actions and results. When we repeatedly tell ourselves that we are not good enough or not smart enough, we are setting ourselves up for failure because these thoughts prevent us from even trying. It is only when we make the conscious effort to replace these thoughts with positive affirmations like "I can" or "I will," that we are able to access and unlock our full potential.

So use this week as a trial, and build yourself up instead of tearing yourself down. Then, take note of the way you suddenly become one of the "lucky" people you've always envied.