The_Creative_Quitter

Yes!!!! Exactly! Especially around the holidays, when everyone is relaxing and having fun... so prone to playing at this time of year - those little excuses "just for the holidays" .." what harm will it do" .. "hey it's Christmas, have some fun, relax" ... and the old gaming friends writing and going "come on, we miss you, it's Christmas, come on in... That's the hardest part, resisting gaming friends... but, there are other ways to be social, without getting sucked back into an endless, fruitless grind. Glad that the blockers are helping!

Thank you for that idea! I was wondering how I could vary these journal entries up a little bit. I know there are some ideas posted somewhere but I have to go find them again. Yes! I'm finding that these things I used to think of as mundane are often these little things in life that can be comforting and fulfilling - so much better embracing real life. Have a great day!

Dec 18, 2021 Still resisting the tempting thoughts that can creep in. This is definitely a record for me! In the past I would have started playing again. Have to say, making a commitment to do this journal helps even more than I imagined. Praying I stay in developing this NOT-gaming habit and keep spending the time on other things. 3 Things I'm happy for: -Peaceful moments -Lemons -Sleeping in on a Saturday

Too true Marius! Thank you for the encouragement!

Omg so true!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I guess it builds Patience in us to give up the easy progress. No less painful.

Dec 17, 2021 3 Things I'm Happy for today: -Getting ready for Christmas -Home-brewed Coffee with a friend -Healthy things By the way: I had some sudden and more intense thoughts yesterday about "missing those in-game achievements" that only take place during winter. It was weird, coming out of the blue like that. We are susceptible as a people to things like advertising and these other 'treadmills' - I tried reminding myself of that. I have an irrational urge to go complete some stupid little achievement - why??? Once it's done it's like vapor, pointless. Is it worth getting sucked back into the game - especially with now, how I can visibly see my life changing around me in just over a month? I feel GOOD about having quit. Reminding myself: The REAL achievement is if I can make it through Winter without succumbing to this irrational thought.

Yeah! It's challenging sometimes but once you kind of wrap your head around it... its powerful (limits). I'm starting to see how that applies in many other things besides art.... which kind of clashes with the way our society is, there is such abundance and distractions EVERYwhere - in everything from ways we communicate, to games, to ...well all entertainment. We have the opposite problem of a guy stranded on a desert island haha.

Dec 15, 2021 3 Things I'm grateful for: -Another busy day ahead -How fresh everything feels after a cold winter rain -The Realization that sometimes having Limits (such as in art, e.g. limiting use of colors) actually opens up a whole new world. May you have a productive, happy day.

Me neither - I absolutely have to let myself rest at that point, and that big challenge is getting my brain to relax lol.. Great stuff keep going!!

Merry Christmas! I hope you can resist, keep going!

Dec 14, 2021 There's a storm here! 7 Things I'm grateful for today: -Good health, food and a roof -The excitement of a storm -Faith in my Creator (I might repeat this one once in a while) -His forgiveness of me when I completely fail... -Citrus zest -Baking -Those of you who are persevering

Yes! That's exactly it. Christmas is coming up here and we are so busy and I can't even let go of work. I will have to force myself to 'be okay' with not working, and enjoy time off without worrying about work in the back of my mind (maybe that's another key to why games are so addictive? They let me <sort of> "rest" without letting the work-anxiety gnaw at my thoughts - I would totally let go. Funny how that works. Going to schedule in time just to 'nap' .. 'read book' I think. Thanks for mentioning that, just realizing it's a 'thing' helps!

I know what you mean! I need something to occasionally 'clear' my head so the puzzles work. My work is complex enough I guess to make up for the loss of that in gaming --- but the real temptation for me is to get immersed in the game world - which ends up being that sort of escape that sucks up hours ..days, then weeks months years, haha. As for the game industry; yes, very different then - even then it was a huge crunch but at least then ..games were still games, you paid for it once and you owned it. It wasn't yet rigged to be the incredibly greedy thing it is - meant to addict people like gambling. Even the old days in Las Vegas there were regulations on gambling - now that's all changed, the money-people have lost their soul. Maybe I'm saying too much... lol but it is what it is. Music - I hope to dabble in Mixcraft when I get time, but don't really have specific goals; maybe just to make some music I can use for my own videos and such. Keep going with it and good luck with your Composition!!!

I've felt that way in the past - maybe this will help a little..? I had to accept life like a series of waves, ups and downs. I mean it was hard to accept the "Down" parts but once I accepted them, it lessened their severity and length. Sometimes its just your body needing more rest and it affects your mind and outlook. So I resolved to really 'sink into' the downs - let myself sleep late, be kinder in my thoughts about myself during those times. The affect it has is stronger "Ups." Well wishes.

Dec 12, 2021 Still going - prior commitments kept me from journaling the last couple of days. I suspect these busy times are a blessing - it's the lulls where gaming thoughts 'creep in' that will be the challenge. Maybe I'm in danger of becoming even more of a workaholic in order to avoid the gaming thoughts? Can't worry about it. 3 Things I'm grateful for: -Clarity -The abililty to problem solve -Goals to achieve

You are on an excellent train of thought. Many of these challenges have been brought about by a system of technology that we didn't create nor do we control. It's not a healthy system.

Don't let yourself think that way. You were meant to have learning experiences, that was simply one of them. You have much going now and ahead of you - that's what you need to focus on! Road ahead and all the good things in it.

Dec 9, 2021 The detox must be working. Learning to ride the ups and downs, but the last couple of days I've been on a peak as far as creativity. Like my brain is accepting - "Oh, there's no more games, what can I do, how can I push this stuff in my artwork." It's making a difference... I hope I continue to remember all this because if I get to where I want to play the mmos again I will have to kick my own backside. I KNOW it's coming, the withdrawals and longing for nostalgia. Girding myself. Have a great night, to anyone reading this. And keep going.

Dec 8, 2021 3 Things I'm Happy for: -Good conversation -My gorgeous coffee cup -Crisp cool winter days

There's a 14 day trial on the Mixcraft.. I will probably pick it up next year. I have nearly zero music training (just a few basic childhood piano lessons). Haven't used any other DAW's though, so I can't really tell you how it compares. I need to go for whatever is easiest to learn .. As for blocking...well I don't have Cold Turkey yet but I have the leechblock extension blocking a few sites. So far doing the occasional 3 or 7 pieces of jigsaw puzzle is helping me fulfill the 'reward' center of my brain and acting as a much healthier substitute. It sounds so silly but it's working! I'm actually doing them on the computer as I haven't got room in our place for a real jigsaw puzzle. If you're interested let me know and I'll point you to what I'm using. I hear you about wanting to do music for games. I used to work in the industry years back - now I work a (boring) day job part of the time but thankfully it lets me work on my dream job (independent artist) at the same time - sounds like you have that same need to do creative work. Going in the industry, you will be -expected- to play a ton of games. It will take up your life (just the truth). One healthier possibility is you could go independent/freelance. Gah I've written a novel here sorry. All for now.

Glad you are here. You aren't alone - I'm in the "older" age groups as well. While I never thought I had an addiction the way some of the younger crowds get it (24/7 etc) I still realized I was using it as a crutch to avoid spending time doing things I should be doing with what spare time I have. We're all human, I think every one of us has that temptation, a need to fill. I'm glad you're here and hope you keep going - I'm not going to stop. Only one month in and I'm already seeing drastic life changes - for the better! That said, it's a process. Sleep patterns still suck, but working on it. Keep going!!!

Dec 7, 2021 3 Things I'm grateful for (on another busy day) - Cats - The fact that our bodies often tell us what it really needs - Silent, peaceful moments

It's hard to resists those peripheral things (like watching those interviews) - good luck with keeping that in balance! For now I've had to remove all visual and auditory cues to anything related to games ... I'll just be too tempted. Side note: I am a total noob when it comes to music but was checking out this acoustica mixcraft DAW, just for something to do as a new hobby. Wonder if you've already seen that.. idk if I will stick with it but it looks/sounds fun! Keep going!

I second the Congratulations -- and yeah, I suppose what's behind the Nostalgia for the games is actually nostalgia for what we first felt at the time, or actually due to how life around us was at the time. We can't re-capture it, the game itself is just an illusory (and in the end, empty) experience... This rings true, I think back even to my first D&D experiences - it was all about my friends having fun, being imaginative together - not really the game itself.

Thank you! (to both you and Marius!). Ohhhh believe me I have come SO close to wanting to reinstall, just to go complete a couple of stupid achievements. Maybe about 5 times I got close, thoughts creeping in going "just go do it real quick then uninstall" LOL. Thankfully I've been fending those off and reminding myself how crazy that really is. I never thought of myself as a compulsive person... I hope I can keep it up too. Counting this as my journal. Busy day (Thank God lol).