SuperBetter

I am very annoyed when I learn something much later than "everybody else". 

I bought the book "SuperBetter" by J. McGonigal and have been caught up in her art of gaming. She also has a few YouTube videos you might want to watch.

I checked out the website and copied some of the things to be found there:

"SuperBetter increases resilience - the ability to stay strong, motivated and optimistic even in the face of difficult obstacles. Playing SuperBetter makes you more capable of getting through any tough situation—and more likely to achieve the goals that matter most to you. Proven results in just 10 minutes a day.

Resilience means getting stronger in the face of a challenge.

We'll get you started with four quick Quests, each designed to boost a different kind of resilience (physical, mental, social, and emotional) in 30 seconds or less.

What does it mean to get SuperBetter?

Everything in this game is designed to help you get stronger, by building up your personal resilience.

Resilience is the ability to stay motivated, optimistic and determined even in the face of a tough challenge.

 

When you’re resilient…

• Your body is better able to withstand stress and heal itself. (That’s PHYSICAL resilience.)
• You have the mental focus and determination you need to be successful. (That’s MENTAL resilience.)
• You’re able to activate positive emotions when you need them most. (That’s EMOTIONAL resilience.)
• You get strength from your friends and family. (That’s SOCIAL resilience.)

So why are we so focused on increasing your personal resilience? It’s all based on scientific research. Study after study shows that resilience is the single most important personal skill you can develop -- if you want to be happier, healthier and more successful in whatever you do.

The science behind physical resilience

The single best thing you can do for your body is to move it -- even if it's for just 5 seconds at a time. That's because every second you spend not sitting still increases the health of your heart, lungs and brain. If you can move one part of your body for one minute every hour that you’re awake, you can get SuperBetter.

“Physical resilience”

Some people heal faster and recover from stress more easily than others. Researchers call that “physical resilience.”

So how do you increase YOUR physical resilience? In SuperBetter, you’ll learn lots of ways -- but here’s our favorite.

We call it the “smallest possible dose” of exercise.

• That means exercising just
• One minute every hour. OR
• 5 minutes before each meal. OR
• even just 5 seconds whenever you think of it.

It’s literally that simple.

But how do you know if what you’re doing really counts as exercise? Here’s the trick. You have to ask yourself two questions.

•  Are you sitting still or lying down?
•  Are you eating while you do it?

If you answered no to both questions, then Congratulations! You’re exercising. You’re improving your heart, lungs and brain health -- all of which increases your physical resilience.

(By the way - this is important even if you’re already physically fit or going to the gym an hour a day! Scientific research shows that to be resilient, you still need to do these tiny bursts of physical activity throughout the day.)

The science behind mental resilience

Will power is like a muscle. It gets stronger the more you use it. Tackle a tiny challenge without giving up, and you increase your mental focus and determination. If you can complete one tiny challenge (or Quest) each day, you can get SuperBetter

“Mental resilience”

We all know that we need will power in order to get what we really want from our lives. But did you know there are actually 3 kinds of will power?

There’s “I will power” -- as in, I will do whatever I set my mind to.

Then there’s “I won’t power” -- as in, I won’t do that thing I want to stop doing.

And then there’s “I want power” -- as in, this is what I want more than anything else in the world, and I’m going to put my time and energy into making it happen.

By playing SuperBetter, you’re going to build up all 3 kinds of will power - your I will power, your I won’t power, and your I want power. And that adds up to real mental resilience -- the ability to stay focused and determined and make your best effort when it matters most.

The science behind emotional resilience

Every time you provoke a positive emotion, you increase your creativity, stamina and will power. Curiosity and love are just two of the emotions you can learn to provoke anytime, anywhere. If you can do three tiny things a day that make you feel good, then you can get SuperBetter.

“Emotional resilience”

Why should you make time for things that make you feel good?

Well, positive emotions like interest, curiosity, pride, awe, excitement, love, relief and, amusement -- they

don’t just feel good. They also make you stronger.

Medical research shows that positive emotions boost your immune system, protect against heart attacks and stroke, and even help you grow new neurons faster!

Scientific studies have also proven that positive emotions increase your creativity, your stamina, and your will power.

Now to get these benefits, you don’t have to be positive all the time. That would be impossible, of course. (And probably really annoying to everyone around you!)

What you want to do is achieve the 3:1 ratio.

That’s 3 positive emotions for every 1 negative emotion.

So when you’re feeling stressed hurt, anxious, angry, sad, or just plain not good -- do 3 quick things that feel good to get back in the zone.

The science behind social resilience

The more allies you have, the more likely you are to reach your goals. Touch and gratitude are just two ways to strengthen your social connections. If you can reach out to one person a day, online or face to face, you can get SuperBetter.

“Social resilience”

Want a major health boost? Spend more time with people you like.

It turns out that having someone on your side --

• Someone who makes you smile,
• who you can be yourself around, and
• who you can ask for help

-- actually improves your physical well-being MORE than starting an exercise program OR losing weight and it helps your health as much as quitting a pack-a-day cigarette habit.  (That’s according to a meta-review of 148 studies with more than 300,000 participants.)

And that’s why getting SuperBetter means making it a priority to connect with someone you consider an Ally every single day.

It’s not always easy -- but social resilience helps you heal and get stronger in a way that nothing else can."

So I signed up for the weight-loss power pack:

" “Power Packs vs. Design My Own Adventure”

The fastest and easiest way to start your game is with a Power Pack.

A Power Pack is a special set of Quests (A Quest is anything you can do to get closer to your Epic Win.), Power-ups and Bad Guys that we recommend specifically to help you with YOUR challenge. Or, you can browse our Power Pack collection and pick one out for yourself.

But, what if you’re feeling creative? Or maybe you’re tackling a unique challenge that we might not have the perfect PowerPack for? Then you can design your own adventure.

If you choose this option, we’ll take you right to your Secret Headquarters, where you’ll find 7 Quests that will walk you through the process of brainstorming and creating all of your own Power-ups and Bad Guys. This is the perfect way to create an adventure that’s completely customized just for you. And, it’s kind of fun to invent your own game!

So which will it be? Make your choice now!"

Source: superbetter.com

This might be fun for you, too. And, who knows, you might be a winner!