Gaming Fixed My Failure Anxiety.
(ThySistas.com) Gaming is one of my top five relaxation hobbies. When I have had a hard taxing day, or week, I quickly pick up the controller to let off a bit of steam. These games can range from adventures to fighting depending on my mood. Today when I’m done writing I may be on Smite for a few hours to decompress from the week. Gaming is definitely not a male only environment, and I truly believe there is plenty to learn.
Different games offer different lessons, depending on what you are looking for. I found that failing was something that has been very difficult for me to deal with, and that goes back to my childhood. Though I’ve gotten better, there was a point when I’d doubt myself so much that I would not be able to begin a task that I didn’t believe I could accomplish. The fear was absolutely arresting…and stifling. If you add to that a difficulty with repetition, you can see the vast limitations lying ahead.
When I started my gaming journey, I found that it did not come easy. From navigating the controller, to being able to see and navigate my surrounding…I found that I was constantly frustrated; more importantly I was afraid I would always lose so I began backing away from gaming. When I couldn’t get past a certain point, I wanted someone to get me past it, or I’d abandon the game. Though we’re talking about a game this behave can be seen in other areas of life.
I decided one night while battling with Smite that it was time to put this game to good use. You see, this wasn’t a life event…it’s game and it should be fun. With that fun, I had to learn to have the patience to learn. I needed to allow myself to lose and play again as many times as it took for me to no longer feel anxious. I realized it was okay to play in front of my friends and lose a match or die multiple times in an RPG. I learned to value the story in some of my games, value the process, and take the time to get better if I wanted to win. Okay, so navigating the controller didn’t come naturally to me…no problem. I needed to work with it until it became natural. If I was stuck on the tutorial for a week…so be it. As I continued to play I began to find my rhythm, and I no longer got that bad feeling in my stomach when I lost a match.
This might sound trivial, but the fear of failure is a real issue for many. How we navigate that fear is different for each individual. I found that gaming was a good platform for me to begin to work through those issues as it was a safe space. I wasn’t learning on something that could seriously affect my finances for career. However, the principles of working through a matter…or a battle until I was comfortable became universal. I began to slow down and allow myself the opportunity to practice, try, fail, and do everything over again. The challenge was to not put the controller down and walk away when I got frustrated. I realized that was the issue in principle in every other area of life. I needed to face my fear and work through my frustration. Gaming has its benefits. It helped me work through my fear of failure…it can still be a challenge, but I can et through it.
Staff Writer; Christian Starr
May connect with this sister over at Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/christian.pierre.9809 and also Twitter; http://twitter.com/MrzZeta.
