Considering that today is Charles Darwin’s birthday, I figured adaptation was a good topic to write on. What better game characters to represent this than Pokemon? Sure, they don’t evolve like Mr. Darwin laid out in his Origin of Species, but adaptation and improvement upon yourself is still a central theme in the Pokemon series. Even the trainer you play collects badges and accolades along the way, gaining access to new areas, new abilities, and new pokemon.

In life, we run into lots of obstaces. Some of these obstacles are big, some are little. Some are annoying, and some are downright terrifying, terrible, or unbearably difficult. All obstacles, however, are also opportunities in disguise. Whether it’s a chance to harden your head like Steelix, rock smashing your way through blocks in your path, or to find alternate ways around, like Dugtrio finding their way out of a cave, or Lapras surfing around obstacles, and off to distant shores.

In the game of life, the rules are adapt, or die. Sometimes being the big-strong-and-heavy is necessary. Tenacity, brute force, and strength can be used to overcome problems through sheer force of will. At the same time, though, remember the small and resourceful often survive where the big and scary do not. Ratata are more common than Charizard and Dragonite in the Kanto region. Similarly, dinosaurs, mammoths, and all manner of massive fauna have been outlasted by small rodents and marsupials.

The point of all this is really, when it comes to obstacles in your way, you need to use your judgement when it comes to handling them. This blog can help you become the big, strong person, as well as the lithe, resourceful, strategic person. Regardless of your physique, however, you can still face your own challenges with either mindset. The smallest person can still be the most tenacious, the biggest person can be the most flexible and resourceful You decide how you fill face life’s problems.

Think of a challenge or obstacle that’s facing you right now. Pick a big, scary, hard one. The biggest one you’ve got.

How do you feel right now? Overwhelmed? Out of options? Hopeless, maybe?

No.

F**k that.

If you are here, on this blog, you have already saved the world. You have already conquered it. You have defied gods and demons. You have held the line. You have stared death in the face, fallen into the pits of tartarus, and crawled your way back out again. No cage can hold you, no army can stop you, no deity, demon, or force of nature can bring you to heel.

That problem that you’re worried about? It’s just another in a series of puzzles you’ve already conquered. It’s a dungeon that’s only worth your time because of the treasure at the end. It’s another notch in your belt, just another in a series of awesome accomplishments for you to post on your wall.

So the only question you need to figure out now is how you break this challenge down, get it out of your way, and continue making your mark on this world. I recommend picking up the biggest weapon you’ve got in your arsenal, and hitting it head-on. You are the Hero of Time. You are the Ghost of Sparta. You are Commander Shepard, Master Chief, Samus Aran, Ezio Auditore, Sephiroth, Udyr, and every single damn Pokemon that ever crawled, walked, flew, or surfed. You are the Hero of Your Life, and I don’t care what is standing in your way, you can handle it.

I believe in you, and I will help you if you need it. You can always reach me on Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr, or even just in the comments below(stay anonymous if you’d like, I won’t spill the beans). There are times to meet with force, times to bend instead of break, times to be confrontational, and times to be compromising. All of these things are within your power, capability, and control.

Adapt, overcome, and conquer the world around you.

Dan “DaRatmastah” Wallace