Am I Superstitious?

I'll be honest, I never considered myself a superstitious person. I mean, I walk under ladders with zero hesitation. I don’t flinch when a black cat crosses my path. And breaking a mirror? Eh, seven years of bad luck sounds more like a bad internet conspiracy than an actual cosmic curse. But, if I really stop to think about it, maybe, just maybe, I do have my own brand of superstitions.

Let’s call them “logical rituals.”

Now, before you roll your eyes, hear me out. I work in web development. I also handle production management. This means I deal with deadlines and systems. It involves a whole lot of troubleshooting. And I have certain habits that, if broken, throw me completely off my game. For example, I always double-check my code deployment process in the same exact order. It’s not because I think skipping a step will summon bad luck. It’s because the one time I didn’t, everything crashed. I then spent the next three hours regretting my life choices. So, is that a superstition or just a survival mechanism?

I think that’s where a lot of superstitions come from, patterns that our brains associate with success or failure. Athletes have pre-game rituals. Actors have their “break a leg” sayings. Even seasoned professionals like me might have a lucky keyboard. Some may also prefer a specific chair when solving a critical issue. It’s less about magic and more about psychological comfort.

But let’s not pretend some superstitions aren’t hilariously bizarre. Have you ever seen someone carefully avoiding stepping on a crack in the pavement? It's as if they believe their mother’s spine truly depends on it. Or those folks who refuse to say “Macbeth” in a theater? (Apparently, if you do, you have to run outside, spin around three times, and spit. Imagine explaining that to a confused passerby.)

India, where I’m from, has no shortage of superstitions. Some are deeply cultural, others are just, well, quirky. Like not sweeping the floor in the evening because it might “sweep away” your wealth. I avoid cutting my nails at night. Honestly, I don’t even remember why. I still hesitate before reaching for the nail cutter after dark. It’s ingrained in me. I know it doesn’t make logical sense, but a small part of me whispers, “Better safe than sorry.”

And maybe that’s the real answer. Superstitions, whether we believe in them or not, aren’t always about logic. Sometimes, they’re about control, giving us a sense of order in an unpredictable world. They remind us of traditions. They keep us connected to our past. In some cases, they make life a little more interesting.

So, am I superstitious? Not exactly. But do I have habits that feel suspiciously like superstitions? Absolutely. If knocking on wood keeps the coding errors away, then I’ll be giving my desk a solid tap. You’d better believe it after this post.

How about you? Any weird, oddly specific rituals you swear by?