5 Things Animal Crossing Has Taught Us About Finding Peace And Joy

The little things in life can bring you the most excitement.

Some people don’t understand the allure of Animal Crossing because you’re basically living a regular life. You’re paying off debts. You’re decorating your home. You’re pulling weeds and chatting with neighbors and sipping coffee at your local café. But that’s the entire point. There are so many small things in this world that can bring you so much joy. In real life, you need to enjoy the little moments. That first sip of coffee in the morning. The chat with your favorite neighbor. The sight of snow falling in your backyard. Don’t forget to really look at the world around you because you might miss something beautiful.

The best things in life take time to achieve.

Animal Crossing isn’t a game you can complete in one sitting. You have to wait for shops to be built and for your home to be upgraded. You have to wait for fruit to grow and items to be delivered. The game reminds you that the best things in life take time. Patience is the key to happiness. You can’t rush success. You need to do a little bit, every single day, in order to reach your dreams. But you won’t get there overnight. It takes effort. It takes time.

Community is essential if you want to thrive.

On Animal Crossing, you’re not going to settle for any old villagers who visit your town. You’re going to go on hunts to find your dreamies, the perfect friends for you. That’s what you should be doing in real life as well. Surround yourself with people who make you happy. Don’t settle for friends who bring you down, simply because you have history and feel bad about kicking them out of your world. The best way to find happiness is by maintaining strong friendships and making new ones. You don’t want to isolate yourself. You want to build strong bonds that can last a lifetime.

It’s important to get out in nature.

Plant trees. Grow a garden. Or simply walk around the neighborhood and enjoy the sights. Even though it’s easy to stay in your house all day and play on the Switch, it’s important to get out in the sunshine every once in a while. Get fresh air. Remind yourself that this world is so much bigger than you. There are so many things to do, so many places to explore. Even if you can’t afford to hop on an airplane, you can still find fun ways to pass the time in your hometown.

You should embrace your creativity.

In Animal Crossing, you can design a whole town from scratch. You can accessorize your character. You can create clothing patterns and paths. The game gives you a chance to flex your creative muscles. This is a reminder that you are capable of creating beautiful works of art. Even though some people won’t understand your love of the game, that doesn’t make all the hours you poured into your town worthless. Sometimes, the act of creating is enough. Relaxing and enjoying a game that you’ve loved since childhood is enough.