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Daniel G's Journal


DanielG

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I already wrote a lot for the introductory post, so I might keep this a bit shorter. I had a reflective walk after meeting with Cam tonight, and I think I'm addicted to video games. All the signs point to it, I'm just reluctant to let it go, I guess. I'm hopeful that things will turn out.

Gratitude:

I am grateful for my mom, who continues to be supportive and patient.

I am grateful for computers, that let me spill my brain vomit into some sort of cohesive thing that helps me express and formulate my thoughts.

I am grateful for delicious food.

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I'm sitting here listening to lofi, gathering my thoughts. I have an animated background for my desktop, an Ori and the Blind Forest inspired piece. It's quite beautiful. I'm not sure why I'm writing this, but there's something to it that I find peaceful. My time in Cedars, the treatment center I went to for my alcoholism, put into stark relief my appreciation for nature. The treatment center was in the middle of a rainforest, and there were many opportunities to enjoy the natural world.


Day 4 of no video games. I had a productive day today. I called to book a dentist appointment, which I've been procrastinating on for years. I did my laundry, which I've been putting off for a couple weeks. I called the treatment center back about the milestone meeting they're having. I went on a errand/walk, grabbing a couple toiletries I'd run out of. And for the first time in what feels like a couple years, I attended a yoga class. It's not surprising how much time I've gained by not playing video games for the majority of the day, but I would say that the impact of it is cool to see.
It was bittersweet today as well. One of the games I played a lot was Neverwinter Nights 2, on a custom RP server. Baldur's Gate, The Sword Coast Chronicles. I let the people know in the community that I was quitting for good, and let them know the reason behind it. As I suspected, people were supportive. It is a more mature community that almost universally adheres to the principle of 'Real Life First', so I am not surprised by their understanding. They had kind words for me as well, which felt good. Like, I felt appreciated and glad that they valued the time we spent together as much as I did. I have many fond memories of building stories and hanging out with them, I will miss them.


I hope to become more in tune with how I'm feeling. During yoga class, which was hot yoga, I tried focusing on my heartspace, to gauge where I'm at emotionally. In the moment, it felt quite peaceful. A warmth eminating from the middle of my chest. Some insecurities crept up as well, but I was able to recognize them, honour them, and let them subside. I feel like I was successful in letting them go instead of just stuffing them down or trying to ignore them. There is a lingering doubt still present and a reluctance to be 100% certain though, because as my journey continues, I find that more and more 'truths' I've believed about myself, about the world, have proven to be false. That's usually when I remind myself that I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, and to trust that with time, I will continue to grow and learn more. I am allowed to be wrong sometimes, and if I'm not that's cool too. So, with those caveats, I can say that yes, today, I processed the emotions and thoughts that I was consciously aware of. Which is pretty awesome 🙂.


I intend to re-read 'Atlas of the Heart' by Brené Brown. I believe having a more extensive vocabulary and understanding of emotions will help me identify, own, and feel them in myself. After I finish this journal entry, I am going to spend some time reading.


Breaking down things, one day at a time, continues to be a useful tool. It makes the task ahead seem much less daunting if I simply focus on what I have to do, today. Or perhaps just, what do I have to do next. "The next right thing", or "the next indicated thing", as they say in some 12-step groups. I hope that some of these tools that I have at times neglected come back into play into my life. I am hopeful as well that my time in the program will grant me some shiny new ones too.


Some of the challenges ahead for me include not eating at night, finding a job, getting my record suspension/pardon for my DUI done, getting my driving license back, and strengthening my relationships with God and the people in my life.


Gratitude:


I am grateful for the yoga studio I went to today. It was nice seeing a familiar face, and I am glad that I can feel mostly centered in the space they have created.
I am grateful for the good times I've had with video games. I am sad that my relationship with them has come to this critical point of failure, and that it will likely never be the same again.
I am grateful for my recovery from alcoholism. I think having previous experience with an addiction is a great asset moving forward. It was also the great motivator that pushed me to actually look at and work on myself.

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Today was fairly productive again. I went to the morning AA meeting close to my house, went to see my addictions counselor, went to the dentist, got a haircut/shave, and folded my laundry. I also went on fairly lengthy walks to get to places, and made dinner for the family today. Gratitude in action, helping out to show appreciation for the people who love me :).

I was asked to share at the meeting and went a bit off-topic, considering it's an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. I shared about where I'm at these days, and about coming to this decision about video games. I also shared about how I want to not just 'say' I'm going to do all these good things for me, but actually take action and do the things I intend to do. Today, I did those things, which is good. I don't necessarily 'feel' the accomplishment or pride in having done so, and while I hope that comes with time, maybe it's just something that won't happen for me. Which would be fine too, I think. I've spent a lot of time trying to 'feel' a certain way, I think it's more important for me to just do the things that are healthy for me. I heard other people echo the same sentiment of having trouble following through, and it made me glad that we could relate to each other.

In my meeting with my addictions counselor, we talked about how I can tie my self-worth into how people treat/react to me. It's an easy thing for me to think that because someone doesn't open up to me, doesn't like me, if we don't get along/gel, to internalize that as being unworthy. I let her know about my decision about video games, and we talked about how much of it was 'my' decision and how much was influenced by external factors. I believe it's mostly mine, but it would be dishonest to say that the effect my gaming was having on my mom wasn't a factor.

I have three cavities. This is the first time in my life I've had something wrong with my teeth, other than having my wisdom teeth pulled. I don't really feel particularly strongly about it one way or the other. It just makes sense that after not going to the dentist for a few years, your teeth would probably be affected.

No real cravings or temptations for video games. It's been pretty smooth thus far. I did uninstall all the games on my computer as a precaution.

Gratitude

I am grateful for lofi girl. The music is pretty soothing, and helps me focus on writing this journal.

I am grateful to have a roof over my head, and to have a safe place to come home to.

I am grateful for our dog, Fidel. He is a good companion, and brings great comfort with cuddles :).

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4 hours ago, DanielG said:

In my meeting with my addictions counselor, we talked about how I can tie my self-worth into how people treat/react to me. It's an easy thing for me to think that because someone doesn't open up to me, doesn't like me, if we don't get along/gel, to internalize that as being unworthy. I let her know about my decision about video games, and we talked about how much of it was 'my' decision and how much was influenced by external factors. I believe it's mostly mine, but it would be dishonest to say that the effect my gaming was having on my mom wasn't a factor.

I feel this!

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Today was another mostly productive and enjoyable day without video games. I had my weekly coaching session through Healthy Gamer, which was thought-provoking and affirming emotionally. I attended another yoga class, which was far less physically intense and more focused on breath work/mindfulness. Both have their merits. I treated myself to some bubble tea (well, it was more of a fruit-y version than the 'real' thing), and sent a text to an employer I'd kind of left in limbo that I would not be returning. Like the text to the lawyer about my pardon, I suspect this one will also be left with no response, since the time I should have contacted them has long since passed. Housework-wise, I vacuumed the basement and made dinner again. I made a chicken curry with rice, using a mix of a pre-made Glico curry packet and some spices we had kicking around, including garam masala. It turned out pretty tasty, if a bit runny. I might try adding some cornstarch next time, or maybe letting it reduce out to concentrate the flavours as well.

It was nice to share the good news of my progress with the coaching group today. We spoke a lot about socializing. It seems like we're all steadily progressing in that space, which is cool to see. One of the group members brought up how he had, in the past, had more trouble with initiating conversation because he felt like he wasn't 'interesting', or wouldn't be able to come up with an engaging-enough topic. I can relate to that idea. I shared about my own lack of practice when it comes to taking the initiative in relationships/conversations, and how I still have to make intentional effort to reach out to people. I sometimes envy my brothers and my dad; they seem to naturally reach out to people. I think that's part of the reason why I have gotten away with being so passive in relationships, for the most part. Most of the relationships that I had growing up were mostly people reaching out to me, I often had to do very little to maintain the relationships. Now that I'm in the adult phase of my life, I'm finding that I have to put effort into maintaining and building relationships with people. Reflecting on my relationship also presents a good opportunity to practice acceptance and recognize where expectations might crop up. I would say I have a strong desire to form intimate, deep connections with the people in my life. That mixed with the instant-gratification, 'I want what I want and I want it NOW', mindset that come sometimes creep up on me makes for a bad combination, heh.

I've been intentionally trying to practice more gratitude in my life, since up until recently there was a distinct lack of that. I think it's still important and good to recognize "I'm grateful for X", but I feel like expressing that gratitude with action is a healthy way to solidify it. Taking care of my body, helping around the house, checking in with friends. I neglected a lot of those things for quite some time now. I think that's the nature of being spiritually sick, though. You forget or conveniently shove aside the things that would bring you joy, and focus more on pleasure, attention, the less... fulfulling ways of being, I guess.

I've gotten a couple of @everyone pings for some gaming Discord servers I'm still on. These ones I'm far less invested in than the ones I sent the farewell message to. I think I'll get around to cleaning it all up eventually, as I'm still going to be using Discord to talk to people.

Gratitude:

I am grateful for my coaching sessions. It is nice to have a place where I can share freely what's going on and get insight/validation/relate to other people all in one place.

I am grateful for coffee. It tastes good and makes me go zoom, hehe.

I am grateful for people who go to vulnerable places in conversation. I think it brings us closer together when we share the things we hold close to our heart, even the bits that are uglier.

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2 hours ago, DanielG said:

Today was another mostly productive and enjoyable day without video games. I had my weekly coaching session through Healthy Gamer, which was thought-provoking and affirming emotionally. I attended another yoga class, which was far less physically intense and more focused on breath work/mindfulness. Both have their merits. I treated myself to some bubble tea (well, it was more of a fruit-y version than the 'real' thing), and sent a text to an employer I'd kind of left in limbo that I would not be returning. Like the text to the lawyer about my pardon, I suspect this one will also be left with no response, since the time I should have contacted them has long since passed. Housework-wise, I vacuumed the basement and made dinner again. I made a chicken curry with rice, using a mix of a pre-made Glico curry packet and some spices we had kicking around, including garam masala. It turned out pretty tasty, if a bit runny. I might try adding some cornstarch next time, or maybe letting it reduce out to concentrate the flavours as well.

~~ I used to love making curry. I kind of forgot it could be made while alone this past year. Haha, bubble tea, nice! I kind of left my boss hanging last year as well. I was so mad at everybody, but it really was suffocating in the end (10 year job, with a lot of commuting the last few years - we've since talked, briefly).

Now that I'm in the adult phase of my life, I'm finding that I have to put effort into maintaining and building relationships with people. 

~~  Yeah. Like you said, gratitude coupled with action is great. I like strangers, but the my first 5 sentences or minute of talking needs a lot of work in person. I'm a lot more comfortable with gestures. :X Grateful for all the different things people say and do which aren't covered by me.

I am grateful for people who go to vulnerable places in conversation. I think it brings us closer together when we share the things we hold close to our heart, even the bits that are uglier.

~~ Amen.

Edited by wheatbiscuit
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Today was a good day, but far less productive. I spent the majority of the day hanging out with friends. We picked up a bunch of cupcakes to try out for their wedding, ordered pizza, and watched anime. It was good times :).

We also had some opportunities to have more heart-to-heart kind of conversations. It was a good mix of sort of... 'serious', vulnerable talks and good humour/just goofing around. I opened up a bit about my own experiences and journey with mental health/addiction, and let them know some things that I guess they had never really known about me before.

I also spent some time messaging someone I met on the HealthyGamer discord tonight. Just a guy I met in the general chat. Mostly focused on a situation he was dealing with. He said he had come to a realization about his situation thanks to our conversation and that it was helpful to have someone to talk things through with. I am glad that it seems like I was able to help him sort out his thoughts a bit. I mostly tried to share my own experience and relate to where he was at, put myself in his shoes kind of thing.

I think a late-night walk is on the docket for tonight, considering I didn't do anything active today and had cupcakes and pizza, hehe.

Gratitude:

I am grateful for my friends. Despite some of my shortcomings and lack of initiative, they still take the time to include me, which I am thankful for.

I am grateful for pizza. It's delicious.

I am grateful for Discord. Even though it's mainly a platform for people playing video games, it has provided me with communities focused on mental health, and a place to hang out with friends in a casual way.

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A relaxed kind of day today. Slept in, and had a fun Dungeons and Dragons session. I was playing a 'NPC', or like, 'guest character', for this campaign a friend of mine runs online. It was really fun, we went through a dungeon and completed my character's objective, retrieving a lost relic that would help restore a Goddess' influence on the world. I had a nap after, and watched an episode of anime.

I touched base with the guy I talked to yesterday as well. Seems like he's still doing well, he ended up reaching out to some of his friends, which really helped him feel better.

I would say I'm pretty introverted, so it makes sense that I would be low-energy after a day of socializing. I still might head out on a walk later on tonight. The smoke from the wildfires ravaging my province is still present, and my mom said the government is recommending staying inside unless absolutely necessary, so... I don't know. We have some masks leftover from when mask mandates were still in effect, I might just wear one of those to get my walk in.

Gratitude:

I am grateful for ice-cold water. It's refreshing and healthy :).

I am grateful for my breath. When I focus on it, it helps me stay grounded, and when I practice box-breathing, it calms and soothes me.

I am grateful for my awareness around seeking approval/wanting attention from people. I can recognize it when it comes up and let it go.

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Today was a good day. I attended my old homegroup AA meeting. I had an opportunity to share, which was nice. It was good to reconnect with people. I am going to celebrate my 7 year sobriety with them next Sunday :). I also spent some time with friends again. This time we had chinese food and watched anime.

I had a good conversation with one of my old-time friends, Joey, when he gave me a ride home tonight. It sounds like he's also feeling more motivated recently, but expressed his concerns about his parents 'taking the wind out of his sails', so to speak. It's a recurring pattern for him, and one I can kind of relate to. His strategy is to just be closed-off from his parents, and not talk to them about his new idea as to what to pursue in his life until it's a fully formulated plan. In some ways, his parents are supportive, and he recognizes and appreciates that. However, in some ways, it is difficult to be open with them about what's going on.

At some point in my life, I could definitely say it was the same with me. To a certain extent, it still is that way. If my parents get on my case about something, it typically has the opposite effect of what they desire. Instead of feeling motivated and pushed to do the thing they want me to do, I feel a strong desire to do the exact opposite, or nothing at all. Even knowing they want the best for me, even knowing that the 'thing' that they want me to do would ultimately be beneficial for me. The emotional 'ruts' that I have when it comes to my relationship with both my parents are well-worn at this point. I think the work I've put in to cultivating a sense of self has helped with being less reactive to my parents. Establishing an idea of who I am separate from people, places, and things.

All my friends play video games. I don't really have any that don't. They don't play them to the extent that I did, but it's still something to note, I suppose. There hasn't really been any big cravings or temptations to play video games for me. A few dreams about them though.

Tomorrow will be my first meeting with Cam. I am hopeful that it will be productive, but I am also trying to enter with an open mind and heart, with no expectations. It can be hard for me, though. Expectations seem to be the recurring theme for me, especially when it comes to working on myself/personal growth. Who knows, we'll see what the day brings!

Gratitude:

I am grateful for the good memories I have of my childhood. It can be nostalgic to reminisce about the good times.

I am grateful for my sobriety from alcohol. I am truly blessed to have been given the chance to work the 12 steps into my life.

I am grateful for tea. It can be a soothing, relaxing beverage to enjoy.

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I fell asleep after dinner today, so I'm writing this a bit late. I went for a long walk and a short walk today. I tried to be present on the walks, being mindful of how the breeze felt, the sounds around me, the people along the trail, etc. I had a good talk with Cam, and the 'homework' I have for this week is to engage with people ~20% more than just your average 'hey how are ya?'. I also got a book recommendation :). I'll keep it short and sweet.

One Thing That Went Well Today:

I feel like my meeting with Cam went well. A good mix of talking about myself a bit and some action for moving forward.

Gratitude:

I am grateful for smiles. They can bring joy to those around us.

I am grateful for my brother's dog, Joy. She is a delightful creature, and is extraordinarily cute.

I am grateful for potato salad. It's delicious, not too healthy though :P.

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I had a couple of fillings done at the dentist. I went on a few walks, bought a new book (the one Cam recommended), and saw the Dungeons and Dragons movie with my dad.

Today marks 7 years of sobriety from alcohol. 11 days without video games. I'm definitely in a different space than I was seven years ago, but in some ways, it feels like the start again. Back then, I was just... completely numbed out, to the point where I wasn't really even aware of the physical sensations happening in my body. It seemed pretty hopeless. I only really went to the treatment centre because it was made very easy for me to do so. I didn't really think there would be a way for me to live sober. How little did I know then :).

I have come a long way in my journey to sobriety. My awareness, in general, is definitely better than it used to be, in many ways. I have a much clearer understanding in how I think/act. I am able to connect with how I feel, even if I don't really have the words sometimes to describe what it is that I'm feeling. I am more in tune with what's going on around me. I am more mindful and intentional during the day. However, if I am not careful, I can still go to that place of unrealistic expectation and perfection, and be wholly dissatisfied with where I'm at.

I have met many people along the way who have helped me. My old roommate David was a kind soul who spent many hours listening to me wrestle with ideas and spiritual concepts. My old sponsor, Toby, would also provide me with a compassionate sounding board, and good counsel. He also housed me when I was my most manic, which I will forever be thankful for. The people in the rooms of AA are many, who've shared their story in a way that resonated with me, they helped me learn how to open up and show up in an authentic way.

There are many more people to meet and things to learn. This new chapter in my story, I suspect, will be challenging in ways that I haven't had to deal with yet. It has been fairly smooth thus far, and perhaps I will ride a 'pink cloud' for a while, which isn't the worst thing in the world :P. Still, I want to focus on making sustainable changes to my life, healthy habits that I will carry with me as I keep trudging the road of happy destiny.

One Thing That Went Well Today:

The fillings were filled with no hiccups. I am supposed to reconvene with my dentist in 3 weeks time to check on the major filling, to see if it can simply be resolved this way instead of a root canal.

Gratitude:

I am grateful for the cool breeze today. It felt invigorating and refreshing.

I am grateful for my Cedars hoodie. It keeps me warm and comfy.

I am grateful for compassion. It is uplifting when we support each other, and truly try to help each other out. Not co-sign bullshit, or be enabling, but genuinely try to support and grow the best in us.

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I went to a coffee shop this morning and read my book. The owner was nice enough, however the coffee felt overpriced for what you got. I did make an attempt to make a bit more small talk than normal, and it went okay. Her accent sounded vaguely New Zealand-y.

I voted in our provincial election, in the advance polling. It went smoothly enough, and again there was opportunity for small-talk with some of the people running the polling station, and it too went okay.

I ended up heading out to grab a coffee/read again, except I went to Starbucks instead. It was decent, a sugary/creamy iced coffee thing. I didn't really make much effort to make small talk there, though.

The last activity of the day was yoga. I'd say it was a good class. I felt mostly grounded throughout, and was able to keep up with most of the poses. One of my favourite instructors, Jen, was heading the practice. We made some small talk before class, which went fine. It was after class that we had the opportunity to have a more in-depth conversation about spirituality, the nature of how we progress through our journey, the expectations we might have. It felt like a more meaningful conversation, which was nice to have at the end of a yoga practice.

Throughout the day, I was focusing on just observing my inner voice, and, hopefully, practicing how to distance myself from the thoughts that come up in my head. Essentially, I'm working on what the book I've been reading has suggested as a path towards spirituality. I am trying not to place expectations on it one way or the other, and hopefully I am successfully letting go of things that come up.

One Thing That Went Well Today:

I had a good conversation with the instructor, Jen, after yoga today.

Gratitude:

I am grateful for personal growth. It may be uncomfortable and painful at times, but positive change seems almost always worth the discomfort.

I am grateful for beautiful sunsets. Enjoying the sights and wonders we have been gifted is a beautiful part of living on this planet.

I am grateful for the soreness in my muscles. It lets me know that I exerted myself physically, and gives me a rough indicator of progress for my fitness journey.

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I had a pretty good day today. My mom and I had a good conversation in the morning and then went for a walk with the dog. I suggested we pick up a pretzel from the local pretzel shop and she said yes :D, so we had fresh, tasty pretzels for breakfast. I also went on another walk after having some more coffee. Feeling pretty relaxed and peaceful. No real temptations or urges still, even after having the trailer to a sequel of a game I really enjoyed pop up in my YouTube recommendations. I suspect that, for now, I've been placed in a position of careful neutrality.

I had my coaching session today. It was a bit scattered, but the topic was loosely socialization. We all spoke on the different aspects of how that works/how our expectations and insecurities can hinder us from showing up in social situations. I had a long nap after, now here we are!

I feel like I 'should' have some manner of self-reflection in here. I suspect that part of that comes from the more performative aspect of myself, that wants to impress people with how self-aware I am. At the end of the day, I feel like the journal is more for my own journey, not necessarily to be some sort of thought-provoking document for people to relate to. I think in a perfect world it would do both, though. I know for me, hearing other people speak about experiences similar to my own made me feel a connection with them, which was a big part of getting out of alcoholism and into sobriety. I imagine this journey into quitting video games will be similar. This idea that, yes, these are people who have gone through the same thing as me, and seem to have found a way to live life. So, maybe that plays into account as well. The hope that someone might relate to some thought or feeling about a situation I have, and feel a bit more connected. Or perhaps some wisdom/insight that's been passed along to me might resonate with them as well.

I suspect the family gathering on Sunday will stir up some shit for me to process. I already got a bit riled up from when my dad just foisted planning/cooking the meal on me without asking first. So, we'll see how it plays out. It's a good opportunity to be of service regardless, and it would be good to express the love that I have for my family by cooking them a meal.

One Thing That Went Well Today:

I had a good coaching session.

Gratitude:

I am grateful for the view from my mom's office. It's where my computer is currently set up.

I am grateful for the current level of freedom I have with my day. There are some things I make an effort to do on a daily basis, but otherwise it is fairly flexible.

I am grateful for having a roof over my head. A lot of people in my situation do not have the luxury of a social safety net.

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This is probably the longest I've kept up with a journal in a long time.

I bought another book. The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners. I might end up building a backlog of books I'm meaning to read, uh oh! I haven't really sunk my teeth into it yet, but I am hoping it will be enlightening. It was my first 'activity' of the morning, and I read through the introductory chapters at a coffee shop, Credo. Good coffee! I've passed by it a lot, but I never went in before. I think it'll be a favourite spot for me from now on.

Speaking of books, I spent some of the day reading through the Untethered Soul. It feels like some of the conclusions/proposals the author presents are things that I already am working on, which is cool. Some examples that come to mind are sitting with discomfort/emotional pain, and working towards removing all the pain I hold in my heart, so I can be a conduit of love. I still find it gratifying and validating, to see some of my loftier spiritual goals laid out on paper.

I also spent a decent chunk of today chatting on Discord/listening to music on YouTube.

And I went to the park tonight. It was quite peaceful, there were a couple ducks and a four Canada Geese.

One Thing That Went Well Today:

I had a pleasant interaction with the barista at Credo.

Gratitude:

I am grateful for the feeling of the sun on my face. It's warm and pleasant.

I am grateful for butter chicken. It's delicious!

I am grateful for mentors and teachers. It's helpful to have someone guide you along in your journey.

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2 hours ago, DanielG said:

I bought another book. The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners. I might end up building a backlog of books I'm meaning to read, uh oh! I haven't really sunk my teeth into it yet, but I am hoping it will be enlightening. 

I've heard of that one! The first series of speech videos I got into featured Alan Watts and he recommended it widely. - Yeah, having backlogs of things to do like reading different books that seem fascinating up front build up makes me feel uncommitted. Maybe as long as for example half of the day you've got concrete to-dos then fluttering around in spare time (I'm just thinking of school and homework, after which I felt zero guilt, only I'm choosing quite a bit more of what to do with myself these days)

Wishing you luck getting into it - I bought a book (rare) for myself last year after poring over the covers and random pages for the author's writing style, and it was great.

 

 

Edited by wheatbiscuit
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On 5/26/2023 at 3:12 AM, DanielG said:

I feel like I 'should' have some manner of self-reflection in here. I suspect that part of that comes from the more performative aspect of myself, that wants to impress people with how self-aware I am.

👀 (so as not to be misunderstood I am indicating that I'm probably the same)

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Late journal entry today (tonight? Tomorrow? 🙃). I had a pretty good day. I got some reading/quiet time in the morning. I ended up putting a lot of kilometers on the bicycle (I think ~60km total) getting around places. I spent some time catching up with a friend I hadn't seen in a while. We took his dogs out to an off-leash dog park, which was fun. It was a pleasant experience, kind of just caught up on what's going on in our lives at the moment. After that, I treated myself to lunch at a sandwich shop near where I live. Reuben sandwich, it was really delicious. To cap off the meal, I decided to go to the pretzel shop and buy a pretzel too, haha! It was really fresh, and also delicious. I put myself into a bit of food coma though, so I napped a couple hours.

After that, hopped back on the bike and went to my cousin's for fried chicken, DQ Blizzards, and anime. She bought a bubble machine for her kids, they loved it! There was a weird first bit of the night where people were griping about my cousin's husband, which felt a bit off. I know it's hard to confront people about stuff, but I still feel that if you care about them, it's better to be direct about the problematic behaviour instead of just talking about it when they're not there. Though, to be fair, I'm not 100% sure that they didn't confront him directly already. Ah well. We powered through a bunch of Attack on Titan. No spoilers, but shit went down, lol.

After that I popped by my dad's for a quick visit. I said hi to my older brother, who's living with him. He was playing some League of Legends. I didn't get triggered or anything, which I'm thankful for, and still slightly puzzled by. I think I had a subtle expectation that I would have a rough go of cutting out games completely, but it's been 15 days and nothing really difficult has come up regarding stopping. My dad was in good spirits. He showed me the chicken thighs he bought for the family gathering on Sunday, he has them marinating. I'm going to be the one barbecuing them. Chicken's finicky, but I've done it before. I think it'll be alright. We used to get together on my grandpa's birthday. He passed away a while ago, but my dad still wants to get together as a way to keep the extended family close, I think.

But yeah, lots of socializing. Sunday is going to be a busy day too. Celebrating my 7 year sober anniversary at my homegroup, then off to my dad's to cook a bunch of chicken for my cousins. I'm going to be exhausted come Monday 😅.

One Thing That Went Well Today:

I got a lot of exercise in, which felt good.

Gratitude:

I am grateful for opportunities to be of service. I am glad when I can contribute and help people in my life.

I am grateful for my dad's e-bike. He lent it to me and it got a lot of use today.

I am grateful for water. It was a refreshing beverage after biking today, haha!

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7 hours ago, DanielG said:

I didn't get triggered or anything, which I'm thankful for, and still slightly puzzled by. I think I had a subtle expectation that I would have a rough go of cutting out games completely, but it's been 15 days and nothing really difficult has come up regarding stopping.

Be slightly cautious about this. 15 days isn't very long (but also well done - I've started getting cravings again at Day 29 which are stronger than the cravings I got after immediately quitting) and James Good, who was a veteran Game Quitter's community member, who was summoned to talk about gaming addiction at a select committee hosted by the UK government said that the first 70 DAYS were easy and then it became really hard.

Edited by LordFederickRamsay
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1 hour ago, LordFederickRamsay said:

Be slightly cautious about this. 15 days isn't very long (but also well done - I've started getting cravings again at Day 29 which are stronger than the cravings I got after immediately quitting) and James Good, who was a veteran Game Quitter's community member, who was summoned to talk about gaming addiction at a select committee hosted by the UK government said that the first 70 DAYS were easy and then it became really hard.

Fair enough. I typically try to roll in with no expectations and take it day by day, but they do creep up on me sometimes.

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Homegroup birthday celebration was uplifting and a good way to start the day. Lots of impactful, funny, heartfelt messages of hope to be heard. Warm, fuzzy feelings for sure. And, of course, cake!

The family BBQ was good fun too. I spent a lot of time cooking, so I didn't socialize much, but I was glad to be able to express my gratitude for my cousins, aunts, and uncles by feeding them a meal.

As I suspected, I am pretty tired after all the action. I feel thankful for what I have today. People in my life who care about me, and want to see me succeed and grow. I think that's all for now, the bed is calling me.

One Thing That Went Well Today:

People enjoyed the food for the BBQ 🙂

Gratitude:

I am grateful for compassion and understanding. I think we all benefit when we try to understand each other and lift each other up.

I am grateful for my experience as a line cook. It taught me many valuable lessons and skills that I can use in my daily life.

I am grateful for my homegroup in AA. They are good people, warm and welcoming, and I am glad that they are with me on my journey.

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I'm doing yesterday's journal this morning since I went to bed early.

I had a fairly relaxing day, which felt needed. I was still pretty tired from the weekend. I spent the morning reading and went on a walk. I finished the Untethered Soul, and read a bit more of the Bhagavad Gita. My mom, her boyfriend and I had a nice brunch that they prepared: mushroom omelettes, potato wedges, ham, toast, and a nice salad. After that I had a nap.

Woke up a few hours later, and Amazon had delivered a package to our house (a pretty fancy hose) that I took over to the nice old lady who lives down the street, Millie. We chatted for a while while I set up the hose for her. She's spunky, full of wisdom, kind, and pretty active for 84. And, of course, quite social :D. I always enjoy our conversations.

After that, I headed back home, putzed around on the computer for a bit, then popped onto Discord for the call with Cam. I feel like it went well, I shared more about some of my experiences. I got some feedback about how I might be able to make people feel more comfortable when I notice they're uneasy. And a bit of accountability, he asked me about my record suspension/pardon and how that was going. I haven't called the lawyer my dad put on retainer to help me with it yet.

He gave me a prompt to reflect on: What would closure with this pardon process look like for me emotionally? I'm not too sure, to be honest. One would probably assume a great deal of relief, a weight lifted of your shoulders kind of thing. I know when I've spoken with my dad about his own experience with getting a pardon, it was like that for him. A lot of guilt and shame relieved from getting his pardon. It doesn't really resonate with me, though. The guilt and shame. I know what those feel like, but it doesn't seem like I'm carrying that around with me when it comes to having been convicted for DUI. Maybe it's emotion I can't access right now, maybe I'm just at peace with it. Time will tell, I guess. These days, it seems like I'm able to accept things as they come and go. So, when I do get it done, those emotions will come up as they will, I'll feel them, and then let them go. Getting the record suspension/pardon is still a good thing to get done at the end of the day, regardless of how I feel about it.

He also suggested signing up for some improv or stand-up comedy classes. It's an interesting suggestion that I've never received before. I'm game for it, it's just getting the bank of mom onboard pretty much, lol. There's a class that Cam found with a quick Google search that seems promising. It starts next Monday, so we'd have to reschedule our meeting if I pull the trigger on it. I'm hopeful, I think it would be a fun experience regardless of how it turns out :).

But yeah, I had some dinner after the call with Cam, then passed the F out lol. I was still quite tired.

One Thing That Went Well Today:

The call with Cam felt productive, and he had a good suggestion for action/prompt for reflection.

Gratitude:

I am grateful for spiritual writings. They help guide me in my journey, lead me to truths.

I am grateful for our neighbour, Millie. She is a kind soul.

I am grateful for compliments. They can still make me uncomfortable, but they still feel nice to receive.

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Day 18 without video games. Today was another good day. 😄

After my usual morning stuff, I enjoyed my coffee and the Bhagavad Gita on the front porch. I remember reading somewhere that spiritual reading is different than regular reading, and I think they were onto something. It feels like you have to pay more attention and really consider what's being read. The portion I read today touched on dutiful action, dharma. I'll be honest, I went to grab the book to reference what I'd like to write in here, haha! I feel like it resonates with me. It reminds me a lot of what I've learned in AA. Building and developing a relationship with a Higher Power (God) to solve your problem. Which, in essence, is yourself. Trying to overcome your ego and rightly align yourself with life and with a Higher Power. In the Bhagavad Gita there's been two paths to enlightenment put forth: the path of Knowledge and the path of Action. The AA 12 step program definitely feels like the action path. I feel like as ex-boozers we mess up our mind to the point where the path of Knowledge probably doesn't work so good, lol.

After that, I decided to go on a walk. I ended up walking for about 4 hours or so. I made a trek to a spice shop roughly 5km away from my house, but I ended up taking the scenic route so it was a bit more than that. The idea was to test out some spice blends for the meal I'm planning on cooking for a friend's bachelor party. The Silk Road Spice Merchant! The lady was quite helpful and friendly, and recommended the three that I ended up picking out. One is a salt/pepper/garlic/onion thing, classic, the other is a smoked paprika kind of thing, and the third was a 'BBQ Belt Chicken/Rib rub'. It was a beautiful day. Lots of sun, a nice gentle breeze, plenty of birds chirping around. I wasn't fully present for the whole walk, I did do some mental planning for the meal coming up. Thinking of sides, mostly. A few people were amenable to the friendly smile/nod, which I appreciated. It felt nice when people said hi 🙂.

No nap today! After the walk, I had a chill reading/relaxing period in the backyard. I chose a different book, Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown. I'm re-reading it to try to absorb more information. The section I read today was about curiosity and interest. It had insights that made good sense. There's like, a sweet spot to being curious about something that you can hit. Where there's enough information to grab your interest, but not enough to give everything away. That's where the growth happens, apparently. Which, yeah, that tracks. After that, popped on the computer for a bit to do social things. Discord and perused the forums a bit.

"Time flies by in the yellow and green, stick around and you'll see what I mean, there's a mountain top that I'm dreaming of, if you need me you'll know where I'll be..." - George Ezra (the song came up, and I like the lyrics And there's hints of a nice sunset through the office window. And the scent of fresh rain coming through the windows. 😄 )

But yeah, e-bike ride after that. Got caught in the rain so I cranked the motor to max and booked it back. It was pretty fun going that fast! I decided to make dinner for us tonight, and used some of the spice blends to test out. Oven-baked chicken thighs with 2 of the rubs, chicken breasts marinated in a olive oil/soy sauce/garlic/worcestershire sauce mix, rice, peas, carrots, and mushrooms. I pan-seared the breasts and cooked the mushrooms in the pan afterwards, de-glazed with red wine vinegar to get all the tasty bits. Bit of butter, salt, pepper, garlic. It turned out pretty good. The smoked paprika rub is pretty spicy, so it's good to know that, lol. I also did all of clean-up tonight as well. We went for a walk with the dog after dinner, the rain had slowed down a lot but picked up again while we were out! Caught again. Fool me once, fool me twice >.>. Some light YouTube after that and here I am.

Yeah, feeling grateful today. Lots of beauty to admire. Quality time with myself. The rain felt pretty refreshing, too. Nearly forgot! I had a good in passing interaction with a guy today. He was vibing out to the music in his head, just kind of mini-dancing without headphones in. So I started snapping my fingers to a beat and he joined in as we walked past each other. It was neat lol. Good energy for sure.

One Thing That Went Well Today:

The spice blends are tasty, so I'm excited for what I can do with them!

Gratitude:

I am grateful for books. I am glad that I am reading again.

I am grateful for my glasses. Without them, I wouldn't be able to see all the wonderful things God has given us.

I am grateful for my chef's knife. It is a beautiful gift my mom gave me for Christmas that I'm finally putting to use now.

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