Show Notes
In this week’s installment of the Betting on Yourself series, I’m sitting down with Kyyah Abdul to talk about what it actually means to create your own luck — not in theory, but in practice. We get into the mindset behind “lucky” people, and how to increase your odds of luck through how you think, how you decide, and how willing you are to move forward even when you don’t have all the answers. Kyyah brings such a powerful perspective to this conversation. From her background in neuroscience to her lived experiences with loss at a young age, she breaks down how resilience, decisiveness, and self-trust are all things that can be built — not traits you’re just born with. We talk about decision-making as a muscle, why so many of us are stuck in analysis paralysis, and how social media has made us way too concerned with optics. We also talk about boundaries (and why most people misunderstand them), the pressure of being perceived, and how to stop treating your life like a group project. This conversation is a reminder that luck isn’t something you wait for, it’s something you build, decision by decision. This episode is for you if… You keep overthinking your next move and feel stuck waiting for clarity You want to be more confident but don’t trust your own decisions yet You’re navigating a transition (career, identity, relationships) and feel uncertain You struggle with boundaries — especially with family, friends, or people you love You feel held back by fear of judgment You’re trying to “do the right thing” instead of doing what actually feels aligned You know you’re capable of more, but something is keeping you playing small
Episode Links: Follow Kyyah on Instagram: instagram.com/kyyahabdul Follow Kyyah on TikTok: tiktok.com/kyyahabdul Read The Prepared Graduate, a non-fiction career guide written by Kyyah wherever you get your books To learn even more, visit Kyyah’s website: www.thekyyahabdul.com
Sponsors: Cotton: Learn more at TheFabricOfOurLives.com, and follow along at @discovercotton using #ShopCotton. Monarch Money: Use code LUCKY at monarch.com to get your first year half off at just $50. Nutrafol: For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners $10 off your first month’s subscription and free shipping when you visit Nutrafol.com and enter promo code BALANCEDLES
Keep in Touch with Les: Ready to apply what you hear? Subscribe to the She’s So Lucky Newsletter to get weekly episode guides and journal prompts: https://shessolucky.kit.com/newsletter Subscribe to The Lucky Playbook on Substack: https://lesalfred.substack.com/ Follow Les on IG @lesalfred Follow She’s So Lucky on IG @shessoluckypod Follow Les on TikTok @theluckyles Follow She’s So Lucky on TikTok Visit our website at shessoluckypodcast.com
This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.
Produced by Dear Media See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
More from She's So Lucky
#369: In this week’s episode I’m joined by author, journalist, and birthFUND founder Elaine Welteroth for a special conversation. Recorded live at Create & Cultivate, this conversation turned into church about five minutes in. If you're at the edge of a pivot, or you've realized the hustle that got you here won't get you where you're going, this one's for you. Elaine and I get into how to know when it's time to walk away from something that looks great from the outside, what changes when you measure success by what you give instead of what you get, and how she raised nearly $10 million for maternal health in two years without ever planning to run a nonprofit. This episode is for anyone looking ahead at their next chapter excited for what’s to come. We talk about: Knowing when it's time to pivot, and getting through the waiting that comes after Moving from scarcity to abundance Why it matters for women to talk about money How Elaine’s relationship with ambition has changed in her 20s and 30s The importance of building your own table instead of playing someone else's game Why maternal health affects every one of us, and requires all hands on deck What's next for birthFUND
#368: Y'all called it before I could even say it. Yes, I invested in the beverage brand Sensori! Co-founders Darean and Shanna are back on the show, and since the last time we talked, they've raised almost a million dollars from more than 40 creators (me included) to scale their business instead of going the VC route. Today we’re pulling back the curtain on their fundraising strategy and why I decided to invest. If you've ever wondered whether there's another way to fund a business, you need to hear this one. I also pulled some messy questions from Threads, getting into the nitty-gritty of the raise, and they answered every single one.
#367: I’m starting the fourth quarter off with a solo episode! This week I'm unpacking the advice our grandmothers swore by: you don't have to touch a stove to know it's hot. I'm sharing the lessons I learned the hard way with money, friendships, career, and relationships to help you navigate these areas better. Plus, I'm finally giving you the full update on my first two angel investments, the thesis behind them, and some big news about the show as She's So Lucky turns eight.
#366: If you've ever wondered why some people seem to have opportunities fall into their lap, this conversation is for you. Jessica Nabongo and I get into what luck really looks like when your life is in alignment, how to tell the difference between chasing something and letting it find you, and why getting clear on who you are might be the most powerful thing you can do for your career. She also shares what it's taken to protect her energy, sit with hard seasons, and show up as more than the one thing people know her for.
#365: Three years ago when Blake Newby first joined me on the show, life looked a little different. She was in the thick of her Saturn return, still untangling herself from traditional media, betting everything on herself with zero proof it would work.