intensity is a good thing

Last night my family played a game called The Resistance: Avalon. If you've ever played Mafia, it is kind of like that.

When my family plays, it can be an exhausting adventure to finish the game. We're an intense group of people and even those among us who fashion themselves laid back can really get into the game. People get heated in a harmless way and sometimes we really need that in our lives. Though after one or two rounds of this game I'm spent and need a break, it's fun to feel the energy in the room during and after the game.

There are times when intensity needs to be dialed back a bit. However, intensity is a good thing. It's what drives passionate and committed people and often what makes things happen.

Growing up and even now, I recognize a weird pressure for us to be engaged but not intense. We have to walk this tight-rope and not scare people off during our discussions. Sometimes, though, intensity is what you need. Many times, it's what I need to push through to a breakthrough, so I'm going to try to embrace my own intensity more often.