"Win a different way"-the origin

Have you ever played Settlers of Catan? A few years ago we were quite obsessed. We played it a lot. For those of you that have played the game, you will likely relate well to this post. If you haven't played, but maybe you have played Monopoly instead, (which is a swear word in our house by the way-ask my brother why!!), then you will also understand.

In Settlers of Catan, there are many ways to win. You may be going for the longest road, for example, to get points and then someone cuts off your opportunity to continue your road and that is the end of that way to win. Or maybe you are trying to win by getting Development Cards and hoping to get Victory Points. But if you keep using your resources to buy those and then you keep drawing Knight Cards, you have lost your opportunity to win with Victory Points as a key factor.

As you can see, when the opportunity is taken away, you are left with a choice. You can get really angry, (not that ANY of us ever choose THIS route...), you can give up and just let the others win, OR you can decide to "Win a different way," and look for a new way to win! So one day, we were playing Settlers and I was so excited because I was getting the longest road!! And then someone cut me off and was way too happy about it. So, instead of letting them have that victory, I decided then and there (this is where it all began...) that I could "win a different way."

So now, when I am cooking dinner and then I realize that I have no chicken for my chicken-is-the-main-thing recipe, I have a choice. I can get mad that I didn't plan better, I can quit and we can forget about dinner, OR I can "Win a different way..." and we can make a recipe with the ground beef that I have in the freezer, get take out pizza, or eat cereal for dinner that night.

Or, when I thought life was going to take me THIS way but instead it took me THAT way, I choose to win a different way and make the best of it!!

So...next time you find yourself in a difficult situation and you feel like getting really angry, or quitting, try this instead! Ask yourself, "Is there another way to win here?" And off you go!

Winning a different way 

through the disappointments of life!!