Lessons from UNO

October was a busy month for us as we’re nearing closer to the due date of our baby girl! We’re excited and nervous for the changes to come but we’re as prepared as we can be! The next few weeks will be dedicated to rest, relaxation, and “us time.” It will be the last few weeks Kara and I have just the two of us for the foreseeable future. There are so many things I love about our relationship and wouldn’t trade it for anything. We talk regularly about how we want to raise kids and we both agree the #1 thing we want to do as parents is show our kids how to have a healthy, strong, loving relationship and doing so by example.

Speaking of healthy, strong, loving relationships…This past weekend we had our family visit for Kara’s baby shower. We were so grateful that Kara’s family and my family were able to travel in for the occasion and shower her with love! We were able to spend some extra time with my Mom, sisters, and nieces as they stayed in Louisville for a few days. The last time we were all together was over a year ago so these times are few and far between. One of the things we do when we get together is play the card game UNO. It’s so fun to play as it’s fun yet highly competitive! As we played many games over the course of a few days it got me thinking - UNO has some surprisingly deep life lessons hidden in plain sight suitable for adults and kids. Maybe that’s exactly what was intended by the creators of UNO.

So for this month I wanted to share some observations and life lessons that can be taken from the #1 card game in the world, UNO!

Embrace Change and The Unexpected: In UNO, the cards are constantly changing. You can be down to your last card and your wife throws a draw 4 at you. Your nieces save all the skip/reverse cards for you so you miss the first 4 rounds of the game. Colors can change at any moment, and sometimes your game plan falls apart. Life is similar— when you think you’re on track or have things figured out, things shift that are out of your control. Life also has a way of surprising us with challenges, so being able to adjust, adapt, and pivot is crucial.

Play with What You’ve Got: You don’t always get the best cards in UNO, but you have to make the most of them. Life hands us different situations and resources, and success often depends on maximizing what you have as you work toward your goals and dreams. So regardless of the hand you’re dealt, do the best with what you’ve got.

Every Draw is a New Opportunity: When you draw a new card in UNO, it could be exactly what you need to get back on track or make the game winning move. In life, every setback or new challenge brings an opportunity to try again or approach things differently. Often times you need to take a step back in order to move forward further.

Patience and Never Give Up Pays Off: Just like in life there are no short cuts in the game of UNO so rushing to get rid of all your cards can backfire if you overlook or lack thoughtful strategy. Winning in UNO sometimes means waiting for the right moment to make a move. Similarly, patience and timing are valuable in life. As long as you stay focused, you give yourself the opportunity to win where patience, timing, and hard work intersect.

Don’t Let Your Emotions Control You: UNO can get heated, especially when someone plays a Reverse, Skip, or Swap Hands at a critical moment. In life, reacting emotionally can cloud our judgment, and even make us say/do things with unintended consequences. Nobody likes a whiner, complainer, or downer. So staying calm helps us make better choices. Think before you speak, act, or react - don’t let your emotions get the best of you.

Celebrate Wins: Winning a game of UNO is sweeeeeet. But what’s unique is how you win isn’t anything like you pictured and certainly not in a straight line. The path to winning looks different for everyone. So wins in life are worth celebrating, even if you haven’t reached your end goal, celebrate the small wins along the way and enjoy the ride!

The game UNO may be light-hearted and playful, but it is a subtle reminder to us about the valuable lessons of patience, adaptability, and enjoying the journey! It certainly is a memorable bonding experience we share as a family. So next time you play UNO or encounter some difficulties, take a step back, don’t let your emotions get the best of you because your wins are just around the corner.

I Love You All!

Georgie B