Lesson Eight Defeating Yourself We often give up what we want without a fight because we tell ourselves we can't win. What we tell ourselves is called "self talk." Sometimes it helps us do more than we thought we could but it can also make us not try what we really could do. Self talk is a lie that tells the truth. It predicts the future. I have a problem AND I can handle it - I do something about it - I feel better I have a problem I can handle BUT It feels bad so I want to avoid it - I do nothing - I feel worse, I'm worthless I am worthless - Something good happens - I'm still worthless It's okay to lie to yourself if it is a positive lie - I'll be okay - I can do this - I'm a good person - I can help others - Because that "lie" can turn into the truth as I live it. Negative lies like "I'm bad" can also grow if I think them a lot. Try this out - When you catch yourself thinking trash about yourself or someone else - say "Stop" to yourself and then say "I am a good person AND I make mistakes." THE GAME: NAPOLEONICS FRENCH The French fight for Liberty, Equality and Fraternity for all men! They are spreading law, education and democracy. All Frenchmen serve so the soldiers are health, strong and motivated. They attack in columns. Sharp shooters break up their opponent's formations before the column smashes through - Another victory for Napoleon! ENGLISH The British fight for God, King and Country against the tyrant Napoleon. They form long thin lines and rely on fire power to stop French attacks. When cavalry threatens, they form squares. The British soldiers are the scum of the Earth but they are the best shots in Europe. SPANISH The Spanish are defending their homes after the French took over their country. They are civilians fighting a guerilla war. They take one shot and run away to live to fight another day. They are not soldiers and do not fight well in stand up battles. RUSSIAN AND AUSTRIAN Austrian and Russian soldiers are peasants who fight because they are told to. When they are defending their homes they are ferocious. They are herded together in large columns so they can be easily controlled. They try to fire like the British and charge like the French but do neither well. Lesson Nine Take Care of Yourself Your body is a machine. If you don't take care of it, the machine will break! Sleep 8 hours a day - feel rested, ready for the day - feel tired, drag through the day Eat 3 times a day - feel full, have energy - feel hungry, lack energy Do your chores - feel satisfied, everything is done - feel nervous, wait to be yelled at Do something fun - feel interested - feel bored Be nice to people - If I'm nice to them I'll be nice to them - feel angry and lonely, waiting for them to get even. Decide to do 2 or 3 things a day - Keep up on everything - fall behind, get discouraged Exercise 2-3 times a week for 20 minutes - feel more energy - feel more tired. Cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana and other drugs wear people down. They may feel good while using them but they take more than they give in the long run. The only one who will take care of me is me. I can decide to be nice to myself today. For those of us who are religious, regular prayer is also helpful. THE GAME: STAR SHIPS STAR SHIPS Star Ships move using engine, defend using shields and attack using lasers and missiles. One a ship's shields are down damage starts hurting a ships engines and weapons. It is a good idea to keep repairing damage during the battle and to run away before being destroyed. Back to Table of Contents -- Matrix Gamer #26 To Matrix Gamer List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2001 by Chris Engle. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com