Thursday, July 17, 2025
I used to make a drag out of life until I learned to make it a game. We do this with children. We try to make learning fun. We try to make chores fun. We try to make obedience fun. You can reprioritize, and in many ways turn living into a game.
Realizing that life is game-like is key! Game makers purposely give you a puzzle. Movies and books purposely captivate you with a plot twist or a conundrum to solve. My dog loves to extract treats from some of her busted toys. I take a toy that’s torn up and put a treat in it, then she goes to town to extract the tastiness. It’s fun to solve a puzzle! She loves it.
Every obstacle can be considered a project for which sweet reward is hiding. It’s part of your training. I used to like making work reports as concise as possible. I used to like making rehearsals fun, not work. I used to play fun games in some of my classes! Now that I’m living without a full-time income, I love strategizing. I love relying on my brain to figure things out! I don’t panic, but see it as engagement, enrichment, or as interest. What will my brain come up with? Allow fun to lead the charge.
At the end of your life, you will also learn to play with death. If you happen to know you have a terminal illness, part of the challenge is to make that successful, and dare I say, enjoyable. You don’t want to ruin your last days in regret, complaint, or desolation. You’ll want to prioritize spending time with those you love, going out in nature if you are able, and just soaking in living and loving. Don’t waste your life in drudgery. Convert it into a game, and find the hidden treat.