Challenge: Being disappointed in others

As the game progressed, a mandatory switch among players left me and three others to form a new tribe, Miramuu. We maintained the original Rotu spirit and continued to be successful both as a tribe and in the challenges.

When the tribes merged into one, everyone was confused. The original Rotu members liked having the spirit back — which we brought from Miramuu — but they had become busy scheming to win. They had also moved from interdependence to a clear pecking order.

Allegiances disintegrated and deceit took over. I thought, “There’s a whole lot I don’t understand about this game.” I had thought Survivor was about learning to exist as a tribe and handle challenges successfully.

I learned pretty quickly that loyalties — no matter how amazing — don’t always hold. Some of the players started saying to me, “Kathy, it’s just a game. You can lie.” I didn’t understand that, either.

That’s when I learned an even deeper lesson about interacting with others. You may have to watch out for other people, but you don’t have to play their game or put your walls up. You don’t have to react to that negativity. I learned to play Survivor and, in turn, this “game of life” without my walls up and with my integrity intact. It has been the most important lesson of my experience.

Key message: Live from your moral center

The Next Challenge: Stay Connected

Accepting who you are and having the courage to be yourself is part of The Real Foundation's five-step process.