[Ready For Change]

I am ready to make changes in my life.  I have wasted too much time playing video games.  I don't have many other hobbies because gaming dominates almost all of my free time.  I am not happy with the outlook of my life if I keep going down the road that I am currently on.

Recently my girlfriend of three years broke up with me because of my laziness and the way that I treated her.  I was devastated, but I understood that it was necessary because I was not fair to her or myself.  I have a tendency to bottle up my emotions until something small sets me off and I explode.  Many times I would say very hurtful things to her and regret it immediately, but once the words have escaped you can't take them back.

I believe that the root of my anger problems stems from not being happy with myself.  I want to be a better person with interesting hobbies and an amazing story to tell.  I want to see the world and experience as much as I can.  

At the moment I have a lot of mixed feelings.  I am worried that I will fail and resort back to business as usual, but I am also excited for a fresh start and new experiences.  I worry about losing my gaming buddies who I have played with for countless hours, but I am excited about finding new friends who have healthy hobbies who will encourage me to be a better version of myself.  I look forward to this journey but part of me is scared that I won't be able to maintain a healthier lifestyle. 

[Level Up IRL]

Hello!

My name is Derek and I am a video game addict.  I am a 27 year old guy who lives in Kansas City.  I have played games almost all of my life.  Many times in my life I have chosen video games over real world social interaction.  Sometimes I enjoy playing games but more and more lately I play them because that is just what I do.  Gaming has become part of my identity.  I get self conscious when talking with some people because I don't have enough experiences to share that don't involve gaming.  I am tired of living my life behind a computer screen.  I want to have interesting hobbies and a great story to tell.  I want to become a person that I would look up to and on my current path that is not the case.