If you’ve ever played Candy Land, you know the excitement of drawing a special card that jumps you ahead on the board. Early in the game, these cards feel like a win, launching you forward past everyone else. But later? That same shortcut can suddenly send you backwards, undoing all your progress.

It’s a game of perception. What feels good in one moment can feel bad in another depending on where you are on the board. And isn’t that just like life?

Perspective Shifts Everything

At different points in our lives, we chase after things that seem like an obvious “win.” The perfect job, the ideal relationship, the dream house. But sometimes, what we thought would be a gift ends up taking us somewhere unexpected or even setting us back.

• That job you fought so hard for? Maybe it led to burnout instead of fulfillment.

• The relationship that seemed perfect? Maybe it taught you more through its ending than its beginning.

• The “setback” you dreaded? Maybe it rerouted you to exactly where you needed to be.

Just like Candy Land, life is always shifting. What once looked like progress might no longer serve us, and what once felt like a step back might actually be a setup for something better.

The Lesson in the Game

The key isn’t to chase the “best” card but to stay open to the journey knowing that every twist, turn, and unexpected detour is part of the path. Some moments push us forward, some pull us back, and some force us to pause. But in the end, it all leads somewhere.

So the next time life hands you a moment that feels like an unfair setback, remember that perspective is everything. What seems frustrating now might make perfect sense later. And what feels like a loss? It might just be setting you up for something even sweeter.