gamequitters.com.implicit8

Hey Alex! I had the exact same fear when I first started with podcasting (which was only a couple months ago). I wasn't comfortable putting myself out there. It gets a lot easier, actually pretty quickly. It feels good to me to create podcasts and to get my thoughts out, and the fear diminishes when you get positive feedback or are just proud of what you've created. You just have to push through the initial discomfort and make incremental improvements. Also, remember that you won't be great at it first. I still have a long ways to go with mine. Here are my episodes if you're interested. I'm sure you can tell a big difference in my confidence level and quality between the first and most recent ep. Also, the first ep is really just me talking about how uncomfortable I am with podcasting haha. So far this podcast has just been random topics. https://soundcloud.com/travis-kirk-992919435 But, just last night launched a second podcast, based around my journey learning android development. If you're interested in that: http://zerotodev.libsyn.com/podcast I'm trying out libsyn for hosting this. Soundcloud is much prettier, but libsyn has better features. Costs $5/month though, soundcloud is free. Things to consider. Hit me up if you have anymore questions. Also, for some inspiration: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/309485-nobody-tells-this-to-people-who-are-beginners-i-wish :D

I remember that first step of deleting all my games. Honestly that first step was the hardest for me. At 90 days I deleted my accounts permanently. It gets easier once you get going for a bit.

Hey Undertow, great to have you join us here. Your initial thoughts remind me of my initial thoughts when I started (tomorrow is Day 300 for me). Stick with it. You'll be surprised! You're right that gaming itself isn't the problem per se. But you'll gain a lot but giving it up. Best of luck man.

Reference to a few posts of yours ago, but I also listened to the Derek Sivers ep on the Tim Ferriss show, that was a great one! I relate to him as well.

Awesome! Keep the gratitude flowing! Recently I've noticed gratitude has been coming easier to me. It is totally a skill, a mental muscle. It's taken 6~ months of gradually developing it but it gets easier and easier.

Welcome man, keep it up! Let us know if you have any learning experiences from staying away from games.

awesome work. Calling various islands... classic.

I'm sure having some time to unplug will be nice. Enjoy your vacation!

Awesome take away lessons dullage!

Haha this is epic. Gogogo!

I recently have come to a similar realization myself. I'm planning on leaving my job in the next few months and doing some extended travel, probably 3-6 months. As Cam mentioned I just picked up Rolf Potts Vagabonding. Maybe that can be a place for you to start - it outlines a philosophy of independent travel, finding yourself, etc. Let me know what you think!

@kortheo? WorkInProgress: I'm not sure what your background with science/logic is, but I can give a couple recommendations to someone who is a general reader with interest in gaining more depth. If you haven't read it, Demon Haunted World is a great starting place. It's a good read even if you'll well-versed in science. It's all about understanding how to think logically and scientifically, and what methods and tools we can use to determine what is valid and accurate and true and what is unverified, untrustworthy, pseudoscience, or just plain BS. Beyond that, I would recommend an excellent podcast - The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe. It's a weekly podcast about science and critical thinking, and very entertaining. I've listened to every episode (500+) over several years and it's honestly the thing that's helped my understanding of science the most (at least on par with my B.S. degree). It's the real deal.

I guess I would say simply that change is always possible. Habits and actions are patterns that are ingrained into us in our brain. It can be very difficult to change them. But our brains and our habits are plastic and we can change them for the better. This is just fact. It will be harder for some than for others. It's all about committing to what you want, being patient with yourself, and always trying again and again. When something isn't working, try a new approach. Find a way to do habits that is sustainable. Make it easy. For example, if you can't meditate for 10 minutes to start, start with 5 instead. Can't do 5? Do 2. Etc. And then over time you'll be able to build up in a way that feels natural and sustainable. You have a lifetime of bad habits behind you. They are deeply engrained. It's normal for it to be really hard at first. You can create new habits but it will take time before they start to feel natural and easy, because they're new. You just have to look at the long game and grind it out even when you feel like quitting - especially when you feel like quitting. Best of luck! Travis

Thanks. I heard it during yoga today and felt like it was exactly what I need to be reminded of every day. "You can only start from where you are." +1. It's easy to get caught up in the past and what could have been and what we should have done differently. But this is a waste of mental energy because there is literally nothing that we can do to change it. We can't start from where we might have been if we had acted differently. Amor fati: - Nietzsche, surprisingly. Although I guess we may disagree with him slightly - we may want our 'forward' to be better, which is why we work :). But accepting the past and loving it for what it is is a powerful mindset, IMO.

Hey Alex. I haven't been following your journal much, but it is clear that you are super dedicated. Cam often mentions to me that you're a Legend. XD. Keep up the good work dude!