While books, movies, and video games are here primarily for our entertainment, they can also teach us valuable life lessons. There are so many things we can learn from all the different media, if only we are open to receiving the message. I've compiled my Top 5 Lessons that I learned from various video games, one of my favorite book series, and even one from Captain Jack Sparrow. These aren't super deep messages - we're not trying to ponder the meaning of life here - but they have helped reshape how I look at the world and how I face day-to-day challenges, so maybe they'll help you too!
1. Remember to breathe
Life likes to throw curveballs at you, and keeping a level head will help you dig your way out of any stressful situation. It's like Emily says in the film The Devil Wears Prada, "I rarely say this to people who aren't me, but you have got to calm down!" It turns out, panicking does not help you solve problems. It only makes things worse. Calming down isn't specifically the lesson being taught here, however, but instead one of the ways you can calm yourself when you are stressed.
The first of these lessons came from one of the most unlikely places, one of my favorite video game series, Wolfenstein, which is known for being brutal, the exact opposite of calm. In Wolfenstein: The Old Blood, prequel to the 2014 series reboot Wolfenstein: The New Order, our hero B.J. Blazcowicz goes head-to-head with the Nazi regime. Blazcowicz and his friend Agent Richard Wesley are captured and imprisoned in the cells of Castle Wolfenstein where Wesley is later tortured and killed. Before his unfortunate demise, he imparted words of wisdom on Blazcowicz to help him keep a clear mind so he could escape and continue the fight.
Inhale. Count to four. Exhale. Count to four.
Wesley wanted to try to teach Blazcowicz the art of controlled breathing. When your heart is racing and you're hyperventilating and you feel like you're about to crash, learning to control your breathing can help you feel calm and regain focus.
Various studies have been conducted to determine the effects of controlled breathing on individuals in different situations. On many occasions, individuals who focused on controlling their breathing experienced increased energy, feelings of calmness and wellbeing, reduced blood pressure and heartrate, and other physiological changes. All of these things together can result in the individual also feeling more mental clarity, allowing them to focus on the task at hand so they can tackle whatever challenges they face.
This method doesn't work for everyone unfortunately, but it has helped me during less-than-fun times, especially over the last 5 or 6 years, such as during COVID when I felt very isolated and alone. Remembering to keep my breathing steady helped me to keep my focus so I could plan my next move, no matter what came at me. You should give it a try as well, and let me know in the comments what other calming techniques you may have up your sleeve.
2. Explore. Make opportunities for yourself.
The lessons from video games don't stop there! This next lesson really came out of the blue as it wasn't even meant to be a lesson. I was playing the game Assassin's Creed Unity. I was perched on the rooftop of a building next to the one I needed to sneak into. Outside was a large crowd and a bunch of guards, inside a demonstration was about to take place. I needed to get inside to the theater where the demonstration was being held. Before I launched into action, a simple instruction appeared on the side of the screen: Explore. Make opportunities for yourself.
Of course, this guiding text was talking about the mission before me, but that line has stuck with me through the years and has been a driving force behind my constant desire to continue learning and growing. But why is it so significant?
The first part, Explore, felt like a call to action to never be content to stay in one area, to never be content to ignore the rest of the world's treasures. Whether it was through education opportunities, traveling, or even just picking up a new hobby, I felt the call to seek out new things, new experiences that would help to better shape the person I wanted to be.
This lead into the second part, Make opportunities for yourself, which is exactly what all that exploration over the last 11 years did. By stepping into new realms, taking on new challenges, and feeding my hunger to learn and to grow, I have opened up so many doors for myself that I never knew were possible. I've managed to pivot from a job to what I'm hoping will become a career, and I'm now on a path that will give me physical, mental, and emotional freedom.
When you refuse to be stagnant, when you challenge your contentedness (if that's even a word), you realize there is more out there for you than the same four walls you enclose yourself in every day. Expecially when you're feeling like your life is a little stale or like you're stuck and will never be able to move forward, that's the perfect time to start exploring again. There are many ways you can improve your circumstances, and many of them don't require any financial commitment.
It is my firm belief that we should never stop exploring, never stop growing. We all have room within us for improvement.
3. Stop and think before responding
Especially in today's climate, we could all do with a little lesson in humility, particularly about stopping to think, to ponder new information before we open our mouths. Right now, people are a little too content to just start spitting words without considering even for a second that they may be wrong, or that they just don't know the answer. Is it really so difficult to just take a step back and reflect before we continue the conversation?
One of my favorite book series lately has been The Camulod Chronicles by Jack Whyte. The main protagonist of the first two books is Publius Varrus, a Roman officer and blacksmith living in Britain towards the end of the Roman occupation. One of my favorite traits of this man was his habit of sitting back and thinking about new information before proceeding with a conversation, particularly if what he'd been told was contrary to his own knowledge or beliefs. He would take the time to examine different angles and possibilities, challenging himself to think critically so he could make a more informed decision.
This is a lesson I still struggle with myself, but I've tried to put into practice more. This falls in line with empathy (not to be confused with sympathy), trying to understand other perspectives and beliefs, while also taking in as much fact as I can. I try my best to do my own research if it's a topic I'm not as well learned in, but I'm also not afraid of saying, "I don't know."
This reminds me of a quote I once read from Benjamin Franklin:
"If you wish information and improvement from the knowledge of others, and yet at the same time express yourself as firmly fixed in your present opinions, modest, sensible men, who do not love disputation, will probably leave you undisturbed in the possession of your error."
The quote goes on to basically say that people will also be less likely to be receptive of your opinions if you continue to rebuff theirs. I think this is a great quote that emphasizes why it's important to be open-minded, to practice humility. No one individual will ever have all of the answers, including oneself, so being receptive and taking the time to ponder before you speak will go a long way in your interactions with others.
4. You can do this
When life gets you down, it's important to not stay down. You need to get back up, brush off the dirt, and keep pushing forward. After you've managed to control your breathing and regain your focus, you just have to say to yourself, "I can do this".
So, where did this lesson come from? Yet another video game! In 2013, we got the reboot of Tomb Raider, with the wonderful Camilla Luddington voicing our heroine, Lara Croft. Lara meets some very unfortunate demises throughout that game if you're not careful, but one thing that is most admirable about her is her ability to continue pushing forward. You'll hear her say it every few minutes it seems - I can do this - and then she climbs, falls, slides, and crawls her way through any obstacle she faces.
This is positive affirmation, a statement that you repeat to yourself to try to boost your positivity and self-esteem. Positive affirmations take on many forms, such as declaring that you are strong, you are wanted, and that you are capable, but also habit corrections to stop overspending, eating junk foods, and other things. Repeating positive affirmations to yourself can help you to actually believe the declaration, even when you're feeling the exact opposite.
One of the positive affirmations I tell myself all the time is that I can overcome anything, and so far, I have. In the past, I've been let go from jobs, had to give up my car, and almost faced homelessness. In each of these instances, I kept my head up and immediately hopped into action to take care of myself and fix my situation. It wasn't always easy, and sacrifices had to be made along the way, but I always came out on top, stronger than ever.
The mindset of "I can do whatever I put my mind to" isn't so far out as some would believe. Sure, some may start further behind the starting line than others, we all grow up in different circumstances, but it's how you conduct yourself and your mindset that determines where you go. You are not your past! I'll say it again...
YOU ARE NOT YOUR PAST! YOU ARE NOT STUCK HERE!
You want to go to school and get a degree? You can do it! You want to get promoted at work? You can do it! You want to leave the crappy relationship you're in? You can do it! You can overcome any challenges you face if you believe in yourself. If you don't believe in yourself yet, just tell yourself, "I can do this", and eventually you will believe it. But make sure to also follow it up with action. It doesn't have to be a leap forward, it's not a race to the finish, every small step counts. Start looking up degree programs you're interested in. Talk with your boss about how you're doing and where you can grow. Talk to friends, family, and coworkers about your home situation.
Here's a fun little exercise for you... Grab a notebook, a journal, or even some sticky notes. Every day I want you to write down 3 things you'd like to believe about yourself - write down the same 3 things every day - and then act on it throughout the day. Tell yourself you're worthy. Tell yourself you don't need to stop at Starbucks (even though that latte screams your name). Tell yourself you can do this. Because you can.
5. "Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate."
The last lesson on this list comes from one of my favorite film series, Pirates of the Caribbean, specifically the first film, The Curse of the Black Pearl. You may even recognize where in the film this line is said. As Captain Jack Sparrow and Will Turner make their way towards the pirate lair at the center of the Isle de Muerta to rescue Elizabeth Swann, Jack comments on how Will is well on his way to becoming a pirate:
"You know, for having such a bleak outlook on pirates you are well on your way to becoming one: sprung a man from jail, commandeered a ship of the fleet, sailed with a buccaneer crew out of Tortuga, and you're completely obsessed with treasure."
When Will retorts that he is not obsessed with treasure, Jack responds with, "Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate." Of course, he is referring to Will's love for the damsel in distress, miss Elizabeth, who was taken prisoner by Captain Barbossa.
Ok, so this lesson (and the previous one) is a bit deeper. Possessions aren't the most important treasures in our lives, though they may still be fun to acquire. Sometimes we're not even really after the treasures themselves, but more the thrill of the chase. Regardless, and some may roll their eyes and call this cheesy, the real treasure is the connections and experiences we make throughout life. Family, friends, pets... These are also treasures. Your life wouldn't be as whole without them. The birth of a child, achieving your career goals, retiring without a worry... These are intangible (kind of) treasures (the child is tangible). Or, rather, your memories of these experiences are treasures.
These are the kinds of treasures that we should all strive to collect because they fill our lives with meaning. And when we look back on all the years we lived, we won't remember as much the limited edition trading cards, shiny toys, and other physical items we possessed. More so, we'll reflect on what happened in our lives, the people we met, the places we traveled, and the things we did. Those are treasures are priceless.