Mental Health Monday: Try New Things

One thing we discussed in my therapy this summer is my fear of looking stupid. A lot of my exposure therapy focused on this concern. One thing I’ve avoided is board games/card games because I have a difficult time understanding directions the first time through. It takes me awhile to figure out what’s going on and I always feel behind. I ask lots of questions and feel dumb. During our family trip this weekend, however, I decided to join my siblings and in-laws playing a game I’ve always dreaded: Settlers of Catan. I played once years ago and avoided it ever since. This time, I gave myself permission to figure it out slowly. I also feel safe with my family, which helped me be at ease. We had a blast and I wanted to play again, which is saying a lot! That night, I learned two new card games. We had so much fun that we played them again the next morning. It sounds really insignificant, but I was proud of myself for learning new games instead of avoiding them due to my insecurity. I didn’t miss out on the fun and I bonded with my family. A situation that once felt threatening instead contributed to a more joyous life.