I've been enjoying my adventures in Skyrim since its release in 2011. I've made just about every character type imaginable and explored just about every nook and cranny of the map. Something about Skyrim speaks to me on a very deep level, just as the previous elder scrolls games have. However I've never really understood why Skyrim has made me feel so at ease while playing it. Yes it's a great piece of escapism, whisking me away to a rich fantasy world, but it's more than that. It's a lifestyle! It's my lifestyle.

The western world relies heavily on a goal orientated lifestyle. It's drilled in to us to achieve and compete. Work hard, buy a house, buy a car and be sure to out do your friends and family as you earn your way into a fulfilling life. There are many games that share this structure. They are normally linear, judge you based on how fast you can achieve the objectives placed out for you and really only offer you one ideal way to approach each task. Pretty much any linear FPS like COD for instance. The thing I love about a game like Far Cry 3 for example, is it just gives you its strongholds to tackle however you see fit and it's an extremely dynamic and interesting encounter every time. But I feel in the western world we are generally so directed.

I've always approached life in a different way, "going with the flow" you could say. It's not that original of a concept but it works for me. Forget the end goal, forget competition. Just pick a direction and as long as your not standing still, happiness will find you. In Skyrim, from the outset you can do this. There is no ultimate goal, there are no end credits. You just pick a direction and set out on an adventure. No matter which way you go you will find something fun to do, people to meet, ruins to explore and creatures to fight. If you run into an obstacle you cannot pass without pain and misery, a giant for example, you just pick a new direction and move on. I feel whenever we hit an obstacle in life, it's just life's way of telling you, you're heading towards something less than ideal. Perhaps it's not time for you to be going this way. The more you struggle against it, the more you fight the flow and the more pain and misery you introduce into your life.

I believe as long as you're enjoying what you are doing in the moment, you are following the right path, no matter what you are told by others. It doesn't mean you should always take the easy path, the challenging paths can be the most fun. My second favorite series of games are the Souls games for instance. Also laziness never really brings happiness either, you just kind of stand still, not really heading anywhere.

I'm sure everyone has their own view on how to approach life and it may or may not work for them, but Skyrim has been a great teacher for me and how I can live life happily. Perhaps now I can return to Ground Zeroes and just play it how I want to and let go of the outcome. Just as you can return to the giants in Skyrim and kick their butts once you've become stronger from your travels.

Now excuse me as I continue down my path of adventure and wonder.