Games and sports are a popular medium of entertainment as well as strengthening ties among people as also peoples across the globe. Many a European nation have had a history of distrust and animosity amongst them. And they found a novel way of inspiring peace and brotherhood among themselves. They started organizing games in routine as a part of their strategy to promote universal harmony. Today, we have numerous sports events held in different parts of the world from time to time such as Olympic Games, Common Wealth Games, Asian Games, FIFA World Cup, ICC World Cup and Paralympic Games, etc.

All in a Game!

A game is a form of competitive activity or sport played according to rules. Anything that is done for amusement also falls under the category of games. As such, a game would include a number of diversions, indoor as well as outdoor. Participation in games and sports helps to foster several key attributes in the players. It would not be out of place to say that games are a wonderful entity. They can help us produce something even more significant than monetary benefits: they inspire in us powerful emotions and social relationships that can alter not only our lives but the whole world. This is true of both outdoor games like cricket, soccer, hockey and basketball, etc, as well as indoor games such as chess, 13 card rummy, video games and even online games.

Fight or Flight

Games are probably the most orthodox leisure pursuits that have existed ever since human beings started leading a civilized life or may be even before that. When humans were hunter-gatherers in the primitive times, at that time, they developed a ‘fight’ or ‘flight’ mechanism for their survival. Games are an extension of that mechanism and fill us with positivity, as they lead to the production of feel-good hormones in the players. Besides, they have always helped to amuse kids, the young as well as the old, as also teach them various values of life. In the contemporary world, the masses are increasingly turning to games. Why is it so?

Games generate Positivity

It is because just a mention of the word ‘game’ is enough to arouse our curiosity and make us feel interested. Games provoke our most robust positive emotions such as curiosity, optimism, pride, and motivation to collaborate with others to achieve a common goal. As said earlier, games also act as a powerful adhesive and inspire unity and bonhomie among kith, kin and even hostile nations.

Whether it is the great worldwide sports meets or the trendier online games, they help to encourage the players and even spectators in diverse ways. They transcend all borders and differences of all sorts. Even those who cannot comprehend one another’s language come on a common platform and play. Participation in games and sports helps to breed the spirit of sportsmanship, leadership traits, motivational skills, competitiveness as also the poise to accept victory and defeat in the same vein.

Nothing is Impossible

Games give many a person a purpose in their life. To exemplify, when the specially-abled feel passionate about a game, they tend to give up the despair in their lives and set out to achieve new milestones. This act of theirs sets an exemplary precedent for the entire human race. While the participants get an aim in life, others learn that no feat is difficult if you have will power and perseverance.

Challenges  

Even if we talk about video games and online games, they induce many positive changes in our psyche that help us tackle the real-life challenges in a better way. When we play a game, we put our best foot forward. Playing such games endows us with optimism, enhanced creativity and confidence, better focussing abilities, ambitious attitude and more resilience in the face of failure.

By indulging in multiplayer games, we learn to collaborate and help others. Besides, we like and trust one another more after engaging in a game together — even if we lose! When you play a game with someone, you get to discover their strengths and weaknesses, as also what motivates them. Isn’t this exactly the kind of social knowledge we require to be able to coordinate with people and tackle challenges of the real-world?

Helpful Streak

Scientific research has shown that the feelings and activities associated with playing games make way into our real lives. For example: children who play a pro-social game like Super Mario Sunshine- in which the players clean up pollution and graffiti around an island, are more likely to help all their acquaintances- family members, buddies as well as neighbours in real life for a full week after playing the game. Such games also make them eco-friendly and aware to the cause of pollution, global warming and climate change.

So Many Qualities!

Those who play musical games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero get inclined towards actually learning and playing real musical instruments, irrespective of their age. As another example, there’s the simple card game rummy. Playing the highly entertaining game kindles a number of key qualities in the players, such as patience, keen observation, keeping a close watch on other players and the ability to take quick decisions, etc. This easy to learn and play traditional game of cards has long been used by teachers and psychologists to inspire kids and slow-learners of all ages to learn alphabet and number concepts, language, social skills, problem solving strategies and other skills associated with the interesting game. And its modern version, online rummy has an added advantage as it propels the players to think and act fast.

Spill-Over Effect and Success

In short, there are a lot of games that have a pretty good and desirable “spill-over” effect. Almost all the customary games fall in this category. When it comes to video games and online games, their merits depend on the choice of game and the time for which they are played in routine. They induce positive changes in the players and propel them to success in real life when they are played in moderation. And when parents and kids play games together, it becomes all the more inspiring for both.

The Essence

For most people, playing their favourite games for an hour everyday will jack up their ability to whole-heartedly deal with tough challenges, strengthen their relationships with the people they care for and instil many a life skill in them. Everything is in the mind and if the mind feels confident, one obviously feels motivated. Games have a vital characteristic that they stimulate our mind to make us feel energized and ready to deal with everything head-on. Those who are into a game know this very well, and those who haven’t encountered the positive aspects of games, must engage in some game and see for themselves!