We’ve all been there before – you’re not alone if you’ve crossed paths with a black cat before and then quickly felt doomed for the rest of the day. It’s easy to recognize symbols or instances of a superstitious activity when you are out and about, but what about at your place of work? You might have a coworker or two that needs a little extra superstition to feel better about their workspace.

But maybe you don’t understand why your coworker is tossing salt over his or her shoulder, or why they insist on having a horseshoe over the door. So, we’re here to break down a few common superstitions and learn what they mean and where they come from, so that you can better understand the person working in the cubicle next to you – after all, their luck might rub off on you.

Common Superstitions You Might Encounter

Superstitions have been around for quite some time and derive from different cultures and meanings. From all-star athletes to everyday people, everyone has thought about superstitions and have even succumbed to them every now and again. After all, do you dare to open an umbrella indoors?

If you work or occasionally find yourself participating in the performing arts world, you will never hear another performer wish someone luck. In fact, it’s traditionally known that it’s bad luck to wish someone good luck, hence where the “break a leg” term came into action. And, if you are an athlete then you should know a great deal about superstitions. From eating or not eating certain foods before a game to how a player or athlete meticulously dresses for competition, there is usually a certain way things have to be done to prepare for a good game or to ward off injuries.

So, what are some common superstitions that you might see?

• Bad Luck on Friday the 13th: Interestingly enough, there is a real fear of the number 13. So much so, there are many sky-rise buildings that will simply omit labeling the 13th floor, or how some airlines won’t have a 13th row. The origin of this superstition derives from how Judas Iscariot was the 13th guest at the Last Supper and Jesus was crucified on a Friday.
• Itchy Palm: Although there are a few different variations to this superstition, they are mostly good; some believe that if your right palm itches, you will meet someone new and if your left palm itches, it means that money is coming. Some also say that an itchy right palm means money coming in and a left-handed itch foretells money going out. The superstition warns you not to scratch your palm unless you want to counteract the effect, and the only way to scratch it without stopping the effect is to use lucky wood or brass.
• Walking Under a Ladder: This is a very common superstition and one that you may want to follow even if it’s to just be safe. But for superstition purposes, the shape of an open ladder is a triangle, which signifies life in some mythologies, and when you walk through the triangle, it’s thought that you tempt fate. And, you risk awakening spirits that live within the triangle. If you do accidentally walk under a ladder, you can counteract the bad luck by placing your thumb between your index and middle fingers and holding it for at least 5 seconds, or cross the fingers of both hands while calling upon the sign of the cross to protect you from evil.
• Breaking a Mirror: It’s common to hear that if you break a mirror, it may set you up for seven years of bad luck. Mirrors were once thought to be reflections of the soul; so breaking a mirror was believed to be harmful to the soul. To put an end to the bad luck, take the broken mirror outside and bury it in the moonlight.
• Finding a Horseshoe: In several cultures, a horseshoe is the luckiest of all symbols, especially if you find one with the open end pointing towards you; if you find one, you should pick it up with your right hand, spit on one end, make a wish and toss it over your left shoulder and then leave it where it lands. You might have also noticed horseshoes over a doorway. You can place the horseshoe over the entrance to your home with the open ends up, which allows bringing good luck for everyone in the house.
• Opening an Umbrella Inside: Although opening an umbrella inside the house might pose a risk to breaking something and could be bad luck in its own action, there are a few superstitions with this one. The most common one is that umbrellas shade us from the sun and they’re somehow magical. When the umbrella is opened inside, out of the way of the sun's rays, it offends the sun god, and may signify impending death or ill fortune for both the person who opened it and the people who live within the home.
• Knocking Twice on Wood: The origin of this superstition dates back to a time when some cultures believed that gods lived in trees, and to ask the gods for a favor, people would lightly tap the bark of the tree. And, to say thank you when the favor was granted, a person would knock lightly again on the same tree.
• Tossing Spilled Salt Over Your Shoulder: One common superstition tells that salt could purify the soul and ward off evil spirits; so when someone spills any amount of salt, you take a pinch and toss it over your left shoulder which drives away any evil spirits attracted to the spill who may want to cause misfortune for the unlucky spiller.

Of course this list only touches the surface of all the superstitions out there, but covers a few common ones that you might find your coworkers, friends or family participating in. So, why do people participate in these rituals? Maybe it makes them feel better or even perform better. Just like athletes have their lucky charms, your coworkers might even have a lucky charm sitting on their desk or hanging over the doorway.

After participating in superstitions for some time, you might feel as though they have become more of a ritual or routine than anything else. Do you find yourself knocking on wood more times than you’d like to admit? Even in the workplace, employees and employers might have certain knick knacks they keep on their desk that believe they bring them good fortune or good work performance, and might consequently do just that. In fact, when you have your superstitious rituals you might find a higher confidence level, which brings a higher chance of being successful on the job or performing in a competition.

So, the next time you find a lucky penny and pick it up, you might actually have some good luck. And, if you have a presentation later that same day, it may be all the confidence you need to impress a new client or instill some confidence in your employees about a new company procedure.