Have you ever been playing a game, a Sunday afternoon of backyard cricket, a few rounds of my personal favourite Finska, or maybe a Friday night paying Pictionary, only to find someone reacting in a way nobody expected?
On Friday in interactive keynote, I used the scene of playing Monopoly to highlight our reactions – it took me back to our family shack where a cousin who, unhappy with the corporate takeover, often flipped the board halfway through the game sending the pieces flying across the room (come to think of it I don’t think we ever finished a game)!
“It’s just a game!” we probably shouted in response to what seemed like a pretty extreme response to losing a house on Mayfair.
This is so much more than a game of Monopoly.
Here’s the thing… we’re all humans, with human reactions that come out in a variety of ways. And often its not the thing that we are reacting to but something else is playing out in that moment.
All behaviour is communication, and I encourage you to inquire into reactions and what is actually being communicated.
And while the Monopoly flip over wasn’t that fun (or maybe we all secretly wanted it to be over!) some of the greatest memories I have is connecting via games, sport, activities – it was so much more than a score board.
What behaviours and characteristics have you seen play out during family fun time?
I’d love you to hit reply and share your memories (did anyone yell YAHTZEE as loud as my sister?!).
Here’s to a week of being well.Bel
PS: I love board games [✔️ focus ✔️ no conversation required ✔️ a healthy dose of competition – ticks in all the fun times boxes!]. If you want to experience watching me reenact my cousin and his board-throwing moment at your next conference or team-building event, head to my website and check out how we can work together to make mental health crisis prevention fun and engaging.
Every Sunday afternoon, Bel sends the Ignite community a personal note of encouragement – reflection, inspiration, stories, and sharing. It’s our way of helping you prepare for the week ahead. Add your details here to receive Here’s The Thing in your inbox.