Competition is great for us. It teaches us perseverance, resilience, and tenacity. It also teaches us how to win and lose with grace. We need to keep this in mind whenever we challenge our siblings or our friends to a competition.

I was one of those kids who loved playing board or card games. I was also the same kid who hated to lose at Monopoly, but my drive to win eventually led me to learn how to strategize. Playing games is a great way to engage your brain and increase your enjoyment levels.

But I quickly found that when someone else could beat me, receive higher praise, or outshine me, I was indeed competitive. In all the wrong ways. Instead of seeing someone with a similar drive as healthy competition, I saw them as an enemy. That’s exactly what happened the day I met Kendra. Ooo, I didn’t like her. I was never musical or athletic, so I prided myself on being organized and efficient. I could run an event more smoothly than anyone. I could plan a meeting so efficiently you wouldn’t want it to be an email.