Florence Scovel Shinn - The Game of Life and How to Play It: Includes Expanded Study Guide

The secret of her success was that she was always herself... colloquial, informal, friendly, and humorous. She herself was very spiritual... and taught by familiar, practical, and everyday examples.

Emmet Fox, author of The Sermon on the Mount

By studying and practicing the principles laid down in this book, one may find prosperity, solve problems, have better health, achieve personal relationsin a word, win the game of life.

Norman Vincent Peale,
author of The Power of Positive Thinking

The Game of Life and How to Play It, by Florence Scovel Shinn, helped me crystallize my own thinking and moved me forward on the path to where I am today.

Louise Hay, author of You Can Heal Your Life

New material copyright 2015, 2023 by Chris Gentry

Foreword copyright 2015, 2023 by Laura Berman Fortgang

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC. Reviewers may quote brief passages. Previously published in 2015 by Hampton Roads Publishing, ISBN: 978-4-57174-728-0.

Cover design by Howard Grossman

Hampton Roads Publishing Company, Inc.

Charlottesville, VA 22906

Distributed by Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC

www.redwheelweiser.com

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ISBN: 978-1-64297-047-0

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Shinn, Florence Scovel, 1871-1940, author. | Gentry, Chris, 1965-writer of added commentary.

Title: The game of life and how to play it / Florence Scovel Shinn; with additional material by Chris Gentry; foreword by Laura Berman Fortgang.

Description: Newburyport, MA : Weiser Books, 2023. | Summary: 'Most people consider life a battle. It's not a battle.... It's a game. And like most games, it can't be played successfully without understanding the rules.' In a clear and accessible manner, this book explores the six key rules for the game of life, providing to readers a user's manual for making informed decisions and fully embracing a life of success and happiness. Also included are study questions, meditations, and action items-- Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2022054237 | ISBN 9781642970470 (trade paperback) | ISBN 9781612834863 (kindle edition)

Subjects: LCSH: Success-Psychological aspects. | New Thought. | Spirituality. | Conduct of life. | BISAC: BODY, MIND & SPIRIT / New Thought | SELF-HELP / Personal Growth / Happiness

Classification: LCC BF637.S8 S517 2023 | DDC 158.1--dc23/eng/20221212

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022054237

Printed in the United States of America

IBI

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

H uman nature and its inherited traditions have made us very serious and weighed down by our circumstances. Life would be so much more fun if we could think of it as a game. It may seem preposterous to some, but Florence Scovel Shinn knew early on the secrets that could unlock a joyful existence, one where we truly feel we are cooperating with the organizing forces of life and are able to have what we want. And now, Chris Gentry has funneled Shinn's theories and stories into a concrete set of exercises that will help you weave her teachings deep into the fabric of your life and make them work for you.

The game of life hasn't changed much, but people have evolved. I think they are now, more then ever, ready to hear what Shinn knew so many years ago. It's our most organic and essential qualities that need to be honed so life can feel like a game.

As I revisited this classic book, I was struck anew by certain areas of interest that coincidentally stacked up to spell L-I-F-E: Love, Intuition, Fear, and Expectation.

The act of reading this book and taking on Shinn's teachings is an act of love. To stop the torture of how you approach things now and turn your thinking over to kinder thoughtsand, therefore, actionsis a milestone in your spiritual growth. Operating in this way is kinder to your soul, and all those around you will benefit as well.

You'll find life to be kinder when you are kinder to yourself. The voice in your head will change as you give it heed or not. Love it back and calm it. When it wants to attack others, talk it out of its meanness. Love yourself out of every problem by sending love to all those involved. Having trouble with your boss? Send them love. Arguing with your sibling? Send them love. No matter how disdainful another's actions might be, send them love. Love will ease the way.

Florence says that IN-tuition means being taught from within. I say that intuition is the most important 21st century life skill we can nurture. We are wired to be our own rudder, but for dozens of decades we've allowed outside sources to decide our lives.

In a world where the rules of work, government, religion, environment, and every system we've come to rely on are in constant flux, there is only one ruling factor to decision-making in your life: You. You may look to God or some other source for guidance, but ultimately trusting yourself (your intuition) is paramount to navigating what lies ahead.

I work with people every day who are excavating their way to clarity on their career and their life path, and they often ask me if they are crazy to listen to what they want most and what their intuition is telling them. The answer, of course, is no. Especially when those around them are asking if they are crazy to give up their job or consider something illogical, I tell them: If everyone thinks you're crazy, you're on the right track! Keep going!

Fear is the eternal enemy to living the life we most desire, its voice so powerful we believe it above any other authority. Shinn says: Fear is inverted faith. We have faith in evil instead of good. She asks us to wish without worrying, which is essential to succeeding in the Game of Life. It's easy to believe and have faith for a while. However, as the days go on, and the timeline we had hoped for evaporates into an excuse to become hopeless, we are being asked to take on a whole other skill set.

The belief that the universe has our back and truly wants what is good for us has to be felt with every fiber of your body and soul (the subconscious mind, according to Shinn) to succeed at the Game of Life. This depth of trust directly correlates to our expectations.

I was a born worrier. Maybe it's just part of being the oldest child, or maybe it's a product of a vivid imagination, but I learned to worry as a way to feel safe. Ironically, imagining the worst-case scenario and then coming up with a solution to it enabled me to put the fear aside like an item crossed off a checklist.

Done. I'm prepared, so no need to worry, I would think.

Over the years, as I studied metaphysics and read books like this one, I've worked hard to stop preparing for the worst altogether and just expect the best.

We are afraid to expect the best because perhaps we don't want to be nave or get caught unprepared if something bad were to happen. Maybe we even feel ashamed to think there's hubris in ignoring the pitfalls (thus, my own 'prepare for the worst, but expect the best' philosophy). I've allowed that to change, and I hope you will too. As per Shinn, our words and our thoughts are only meant to heal, bless, and prosper. We are to live fully expectant of the results we desire. I've tried it, and I highly recommend it. It feels so good. It creates a high vibration in your being, and we know that is the prerequisite for a high-quality life. Being fully expectant of great things harms no one.