How many times in life do we wish things were different? We tell ourselves if this one aspect was not present life would be so much easier.
Video games, or any sort of activity with increasing levels of difficulty keep us engaged because the game gets increasingly harder. We also increase our skill level to handle it. Life is not much different. As we age, situations become increasingly difficult. Many of our decisions affect more people, some of our situations bring different challenges. We also have more skills to be able to handle these difficult times. Perhaps one of the skills we employ is looking at the situation from a different perspective. This vantage point may bring value, hope and growth to the situation in which you find yourself. Accepting all aspects of the dilemma helps to reach some solutions or, at least, help make some decisions about the actions you will take next. Denying aspects keeps us stuck.
These kinds of situations allow us to use our courage, be vulnerable and engage. Oftentimes the decisions we make affect more people that just ourselves. We have to weigh the advantages and disadvantages, both short term and long term, of the consequence of our choices. These are those times that Brene Brown calls getting in the arena. Being in the action of life. Depending upon your perspective and the skills you have developed, it can really feel like genuine accomplishment when you are finished with your round in the arena. You may come out with some cuts, bruises or even broken bones yet feeling good that you got in there and engaged. Those are the times we build our character and self-esteem. This perspective helps us think of ourselves as heroes of our life, not victims.