Dear reader,

I’m excited to write my first journal entry. It’s been a week since I decided to quit gaming for good, and what better way to mark the moment than by selling my PS4 today! Definitely a day to remember ;)

It’s been seven days since I took that big step, and I’m still in transition. I’m trying to fill the gap with new activities, things that help me grow and enjoy life without being tied to materialism. My brain still craves that dopamine rush, and at first I caught myself thinking about replacing gaming with trading cards, collecting figures, or something like that. But then I realized: spending money just to unbox something and put it on a shelf isn’t really worth it.

I’m not sure if I’ll be posting here every day. I’ll write whenever I feel like it, whenever there’s something worth sharing. I don’t want this to turn into another routine that dictates my time like gaming once did.

Thanks again to everyone who shares their journey!

Edited November 10, 2025Nov 10 by Corvus
Edited + corrected typos and sentence structured etc in other messages

Woohoo! Always makes my day to see another journal up here.

Today was a good day. I’m still in transition, still figuring things out, but every day without gaming feels like a small victory.

I set up my exercise bike again. It was gathering dust in the attic, but now it’s back in my room and waiting for tomorrow’s session. It feels good to combine personal development through fitness with a bit of entertainment like a show or a movie. My goal is to lose some weight and get healthier. I’ve gained a bit this year and often feel tired. That was already one of my goals, but I never took it seriously. There’s just too much soda and processed food around the house.

Another thing that was collecting dust is my e-reader. The last time I read was in August. I had started a Star Wars novel, Darth Plagueis, right after my first gaming break. Though I don’t really consider it a break anymore, since I’m quitting for good this time. I plan to finish that novel before the end of the year and read a few personal development books as well. Still, I like having some good fiction for pure enjoyment.

I watched a bit of Star Wars Rebels and started a new show, The Leftovers. I don’t want to spend too much time on series or movies though. Even if I enjoy them, I often feel it’s time wasted. Sometimes it even keeps me up too late. I want to build a new habit of going to bed earlier and reading before sleep. That should help me rest better and wake up earlier. I usually get up at 5:30 on workdays, so maybe I can keep that up on weekends too and make the most of my mornings. Maybe then I won’t see watching something as wasted time.

Edited November 9, 2025Nov 9 by Django

One of my favorite things to do during my workouts is to listen to podcasts/audio books as well. Try that out sometime. I find the combination of doing good things for my body (working out) + doing good things for my mind (reading) to be a match made in heaven! Sometimes I'm too busy to sit down and read, so listening to books while I workout ensures I still get all of that in.

I'm hoping to visit Beligum next year again so hope to meet up! Also Tom and others are nearby in The Netherlands.

 

I’ll give this a try as well. I still need to pick the right podcasts or audiobooks. Most of what I’ve found so far is about personal development, but I might add some fiction too for a bit of entertainment. Feels like my brain is just looking for a new dopamine fix to replace gaming :P

Since I’m also reviewing my diet and fitness, I want to read and listen about those topics too, to train my mind and help turn them into lasting habits.

Edited November 9, 2025Nov 9 by Django

Another good day, nothing special. It was my day off, I drove my mother around (good deed of the day!) and spent the rest of the time relaxing at home. Still too many moments where I feel I waste time though.

I just finished my second fitness session, after doing the first one yesterday evening. Around 20 km (12.5 miles) each time on the exercise bike.

Last night I also started listening to The Slight Edge while in bed. I fell asleep halfway through, but that happens when I read too.

Tomorrow is a workday, so it’ll be busy. I’ll pick up another Christmas present for my son before heading home and getting ready for my third workout session. I love that feeling of being completely exhausted afterward.

I’ve been looking into the paleo diet and thinking about trying it. I remember doing keto two years ago—it worked well but was very restrictive and hard to maintain socially.

I’d also like to stop drinking coffee every day, maybe keep it just for weekends at home. The last time I tried to quit, I got a bad headache. Maybe switching to tea would help. It still has caffeine, so it might make the change easier.

Edited November 9, 2025Nov 9 by Django

For coffee, reduce slowly over a few days. Cut back by 25% or so each day and make sure you're hydrating with water. Replacing with tea can be a good step as well.

For coffee, reduce slowly over a few days. Cut back by 25% or so each day and make sure you're hydrating with water. Replacing with tea can be a good step as well.

I usually have no more than two cups of coffee a day, and most days it’s just one. I like it with two sugars and milk. Caffeine doesn’t seem to be the real issue for me—it’s the sugar! I’ll try cutting it down to one or one and a half sugars and see how it tastes. Maybe it’s just a matter of habit.

A few months ago I was using three sugars, which was definitely too much and not healthy at all! ^^

Edited November 9, 2025Nov 9 by Django

You could try getting into black coffee, I'm a super coffee snob and make amazing black coffee that doesn't need sugar anymore. I like the fruity african beans iced  It's funny, they actually are so sweet on their own that adding sugar makes it taste bad (conflicting sweet notes). If you want any tips on yummy coffee I can help you out! Cold brew is super easy and cheap, and if you have more time or money I've used the aeropress and pourover methods quite a bit and can suggest some things. First step would be to pack up your coffee making machine though ;D

Also you are so awesome! You've been doing great on those workouts, you've definitely inspired me.

Also a fellow coffee snob here. When I started drinking black coffee I put a little bit of cinnamon in it to cut down the bitterness. That helped until I acquired the taste of black coffee. Now I love it on its own, no sugar required. :)

You could try getting into black coffee, I'm a super coffee snob and make amazing black coffee that doesn't need sugar anymore. I like the fruity african beans iced http://gamequitters.com/forum/uploads/emoticons/smile.png It's funny, they actually are so sweet on their own that adding sugar makes it taste bad (conflicting sweet notes). If you want any tips on yummy coffee I can help you out! Cold brew is super easy and cheap, and if you have more time or money I've used the aeropress and pourover methods quite a bit and can suggest some things. First step would be to pack up your coffee making machine though ;D

Also a fellow coffee snob here. When I started drinking black coffee I put a little bit of cinnamon in it to cut down the bitterness. That helped until I acquired the taste of black coffee. Now I love it on its own, no sugar required. http://gamequitters.com/forum/uploads/emoticons/smile.png

What I’m actually drinking is what real coffee lovers would probably say isn’t coffee at all! :P

Nescafé Classic (2 tablespoons) with powdered milk (3 tablespoons) and 2 sugars.

I don’t even have a coffee machine. I’ve been thinking about getting a French press to make bulletproof coffee at home. I like having a cup at my desk at work, and instant coffee is just so convenient. I’m not sure how practical it would be to make bulletproof coffee at work without bringing a press, a mixer, and looking a bit ridiculous in the process, lol.

Maybe I should just stick with the coffee I enjoy and plan my diet around it, keeping the sugar intake in mind. Still, I’m open to suggestions.

 

Also you are so awesome! You've been doing great on those workouts, you've definitely inspired me.

I just read in your journal that you’re planning to start exercising too, that’s great! I did my third session today and pushed a bit harder than usual. Felt amazing afterward.

I’m still working on putting together a proper diet. The part I’m not proud of is what happened right after my workout—I made dinner (spaghetti with shrimp) and then had dessert. I ended up finishing a whole bag of palmito cookies. Not ideal. I’ve been cutting down on soda, but desserts are still a weak spot. To be fair, it’s rare that I eat them, but next time I’ll plan ahead and have something healthier ready, or just stick to water and push through the craving.

I also kept listening to The Slight Edge. I still have trouble staying focused at night when I’m in bed—I usually fall asleep halfway through. Probably because I’m lying down in the dark. So today, instead of listening to the radio during my drive to and from work, I continued The Slight Edge. It’s not easy to stay fully focused while driving, but I guess that focus will come with practice.

 

Edited November 9, 2025Nov 9 by Django

Cold brew might be an option you'd like. It's concentrated coffee, after brewing you keep it in your fridge forever and mix it with water. You can mix it with hot or cold water depending on what you want to drink that day  Sounds similar to what you do already, warming up water and adding the mats. Only difference is you'd have to make the cold brew every so often, or buy it.

Honestly, the sugar in your coffee is a good goal, but quite small compared to soda's and juices. I think it would be easier to quit sugared coffee once you quit overly sugared drinks. (coke and sprite have 9.75 sugar packets each in a can) When I quit I forced myself to take a sip of water every time I had a craving, and now? Water tastes better than actual soda's, and many drinks are too sweet for me at coffee shops and boba places. EXCEPT REALLY HOT DAYS FOR SOME REASON. There's something about a cold soda on a hot day, haha. I just try to drink diet when I do.

And thanks! Going home right now to get my workout outfit on. Let you know how it goes

Edited December 23, 201510 yr by Laney

<----- official recruiter of the minimal-sugar diet. All are welcome.

Edited December 24, 201510 yr by Cam Adair

I might give cold brew a try. My wife already keeps a bottle of iced coffee in the fridge, but I’ve never really been a fan. Yesterday and today I went from 2 sugars to 1.5 in my coffee—a small step, but one that makes a big difference over time. Cutting out soda hasn’t been too hard; I’ve already stopped. I had a sip yesterday and honestly, it didn’t even taste that good anymore.

I’ve been looking into the paleo diet lately. I lost quite a bit of weight when I tried keto for about a month, but I gave in to a few cravings from my wife’s cooking and stopped. I’m not sure I want to go back to keto—it’s too restrictive—but paleo seems like a good middle ground. I just don’t want to over-limit myself.

I’m still exercising daily, and my average speed keeps improving. Definitely feeling it in my legs.

I’ve got some free time now, so I’ll spend it with my son and keep focusing on personal growth. The Slight Edge is an excellent audiobook. I can already apply what I’m learning with my diet changes (less sugar, no soda), daily exercise, healthier meals, and my goal of reading ten pages a day.

Edited November 9, 2025Nov 9 by Django

Glad you're enjoying The Slight Edge.

The Slight Edge is helping me reconnect with that motivation buried deep inside. It’s always there, but sometimes it just needs the right spark to come alive.

I saw a great Marvel calendar and thought about using it to track my workouts, marking the days I exercise and leaving the rest blank. The goal is to keep those blank days to a minimum, only when I’m sick or truly exhausted. The exercise bike has become something I look forward to. It’s not only good for my health, it’s actually enjoyable. I usually combine it with an episode of a show, and it feels rewarding both during and after the session. Today I went a little over 16 miles. My speed’s improving, and near the end I had the choice to stop and finish the show on the couch or keep going. I decided to push through. Stopping would have been easy, but continuing felt just as easy and much better.

I’m also working on my sleep habits. I’m not a night owl, but since I have the week off, I’ve been staying up later than usual. That needs to change. My goal is to go to bed earlier instead of wasting time online. Once I’m in bed, I can read or listen to an audiobook. Maybe watch something interesting like a TED Talk, but that’s riskier. The real goal is to wake up early again, around my usual work time. Those early hours could be used for what truly matters before the day officially starts.

To help with focus, I reinstalled LeechBlock to block distracting sites. It’s a good reminder to use my time wisely. I’ve added a list of websites that usually pull me in and will probably add more as I go. I also want to limit how often I check forums. I tend to refresh them out of habit, which isn’t productive at all. Definitely something to work on.

A few wins today:

• Finally went to the car wash. Bought my car in August and hadn’t cleaned it until now. It’s actually white again :P

• My son (4 and a half) didn’t use his tablet today. I hid it, and even though he asked a couple of times, he didn’t insist.

Edited November 9, 2025Nov 9 by Django

Awesome to hear you're enjoying The Slight Edge. One of the reasons why I love it so much is because it helps you understand the framework of how to actually accomplish the things you want to accomplish.

I might not post long updates about my days for a while. Like I said, I’m still in transition and I don’t want to rush anything. I need to prepare myself for the better things ahead. Gaming addiction was only a wrong way to cope with deeper issues that I still can’t fully define, though one of them is definitely procrastination and laziness.

I’m proud that I’m still keeping up with my daily fitness routine, averaging about 50 minutes of cardio each day.

And I did it! I woke up at 5:30 this morning. It wasn’t easy, I hit snooze once, but that inner voice said, you can do it, don’t go back to sleep, get up now, it will only help.

So here I am, drinking my coffee and browsing the forum. On a regular workday, I’d already be at the office doing the same thing with my morning coffee. ;)

Yesterday I spent some time browsing property listings. It’s one of my long-term goals. I’m 30, and my wife and I would like to buy a house or an apartment in the near future. We don’t have any savings yet, so it’s either time to start building them now or to look for a bank willing to finance the full amount (plus around 15 percent for extra costs like notary and registration fees). For now, I’ll take my time to get informed, understand all the costs, and see what’s realistically possible.

It would be a major change, one that I truly look forward to. I’m sure owning a home would bring a real sense of stability and freedom.

Edited November 9, 2025Nov 9 by Django

Leechblock looks interesting. Honestly I'd block Reddit...it's what I spend most of my time on. Can you set certain times when it's allowed and when it's not?

 

Also coool!! House planning time! If you have a down payment ready for the house, it will make it MUCH cheaper in the long term. So something to think about.

Leechblock looks interesting. Honestly I'd block Reddit...it's what I spend most of my time on. Can you set certain times when it's allowed and when it's not?

Leechblock is great.  You can set specific times when it will block websites. You can set amounts of time for each day. You can even set a combination of specific times and quantity of time.

LeechBlock really delivers on what it promises. It’s a simple productivity tool that blocks time-wasting sites that can drain your day. You just choose which sites to block and when to block them.

I’ve gone a step further and blocked some sites 24/7. There are also a few options to customize things so you can limit certain sites only during specific hours.

As for the house, we currently don’t have a down payment. If we start saving, it’ll take quite some time before we have a meaningful amount ready.

I’ve noticed one positive and one negative point when it comes to finances. Back when I played MMOs, I only spent money on the subscription and expansions. That could have been a good time to save. The downside is that I didn’t think about anything else outside gaming. Do I regret it? Not really. I’m just glad that phase is behind me and I’m focused on the future, knowing that nothing is impossible.

Still, saving is important, even just for furniture and home essentials. We already have loans for both cars. We’re not struggling, but expenses are definitely there. We’ll need to make a proper budget and see what’s realistic, because buying a house or apartment is a big step.

Today I managed to wake up at 5:30 again. The difference from yesterday is that I moved from the bed to the couch and slept two more hours, haha. Clearly, I went to bed too late. I’ll have to fix my sleep routine and stop watching YouTube on my phone at night. I’ll try reading or listening to an audiobook or podcast instead.

Edited November 9, 2025Nov 9 by Django

Good job with The Slight Edge. Bringing your headphones in case is exactly what you want to do. I always have my headphones on me in case I can sneak in a few minutes of a good audiobook. Helps keep me focused on being my best throughout the day.

Back at work today, facing a few new professional challenges. That’s a good thing though, since one of my main goals is to become a successful professional. For me, that means keeping a positive mindset at all times. It’s a bigger challenge when my direct colleague is a pessimist who complains daily about wanting to quit but never does :P

I finished The Slight Edge on Saturday evening and started The Power of Habit. I read about 10 pages on Saturday and 90 on Sunday, and I’m really enjoying it.

My habit of waking up at 5:30 has kicked in again. I think the cue is simply a workday, the routine is waking up early, and the reward is feeling good, avoiding traffic, and being able to leave work by 3:00. That sounds about right.

I’m still keeping up with my daily fitness sessions, though I plan to get a medical check just to be safe. I now work out an hour earlier in the evening, which gives me more breathing room later. At first, I thought I’d use that time to watch a movie, but I don’t feel like it. One episode of a good show while on the bike is enough. I prefer spending the rest of the time reading The Power of Habit, and I’m glad to find non-fiction just as engaging. I really hope I’ll enjoy many more self-development books like this.

It makes me wonder—what exactly counts as entertainment if we can find real enjoyment in things that aren’t usually seen that way? I guess it’s all subjective.

Edited November 9, 2025Nov 9 by Django

Today I got home later than usual. After a long day at work, the first thing I did was eat because I was starving. That meant I couldn’t do my fitness session right away and had to wait, but I ended up skipping it altogether. I’m really tired, and I think it’s okay to take a break. It’s been more than 15 days of daily workouts, so I guess my body deserves a rest. Still, I enjoy it so much that it already feels like a habit, which makes me a bit disappointed.

I’ve also noticed my shirts and pants feel tighter. Even though I haven’t properly adjusted my diet yet, it’s frustrating to feel like I’m gaining fat instead of losing it. I know I can lose it if I stay focused, I just need to decide where to start. Maybe keto again, or perhaps paleo, low carb, and generally eating clean.

I’m also feeling stressed about my new schedule. On days like today, I get home around 5:30. If I want to put my son to bed by 8:00, that only leaves me about two and a half hours for everything else. And today, I didn’t do anything meaningful with that time. Normally I’m home by 4:00, and that extra hour and a half makes such a difference.

Still, I’m sure I’ll feel better tomorrow. ;)

Oh, and by the way, I haven’t felt the urge to play games at all since I quit. I even talked with a colleague today about how pointless it is to spend money on virtual items. It’s funny—my non-gaming colleagues have no idea how much they’re helping me just by being themselves.

Edited November 9, 2025Nov 9 by Django

My performance on the bike improved after taking a day off, so it turns out rest really does help the body recover. I still need to schedule an appointment with a cardiologist, especially considering my family’s medical history.

Work was intense today, and I even brought some of it home. It’s the first time I’ve done that, and I’m glad I did because I actually enjoyed working on a few things from home.

This week has been so busy that I haven’t had much time to read or post on the forum. With so many new members and journals appearing, it’s getting harder to keep up with everyone. I might continue journaling privately and just join specific discussions when there’s a topic I really want to talk about.

Edited November 9, 2025Nov 9 by Django