I watched this amazing talk by Jane McGonigal just a few minutes ago. As soon as it was finished, I jumped up, hurried to my computer, and started this post.
The message that I took away from this, which was so exciting that it basically lit my hair on fire was this: We can turn our most painful regrets around to become powerful agents of healing. Rather than realizing only after we’re out of time that
- I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.
- I wish I’d stayed in touch with my friends.
- I wish I’d let myself be happier
- I wish I’d had the courage to express my true self or
- I wish I’d lived a life true to my dreams instead of what others expected of me,
we can take a deep breath, center ourselves, and realize that as long as we have heartbeats, we have hope.
Not only can we make it through our times of darkness, we can make it fun.
I’ve only just started playing, but Jane McGonigal has created a brilliant game aimed at strengthening the 4 kinds of resilience that contribute to Posttraumatic Growth called Super Better. Post-traumatic growth refers to positive psychological change experienced as a result of the struggle, and studies people who have been able to channel and build their resilience after trauma to change their lives. Their narratives become more like this:
- My priorities have changed.
- I’m not afraid to do what makes me happy.
- I feel closer to my friends and family.
- I understand myself better.
- I know who I really am now.
- I’m more able to focus on my goals and dreams.
While this approach to facilitate healing may not be everyone’s cup of tea, in my opinion, it’s worth a look and is an idea worth spreading.
