Lost in isolation and loneliness, I discovered the world of Gundam. From the model kits, video games, and anime, I found that the characters’ struggles often mirrored my own mental health problems. But Gundam inspired hope. In the words of Banagher and Gundam quotes, I found motivation. And in Gundam Unicorn Anime, I finally discovered the true power of possibility.

Why do you give up on your dreams? We get an exciting idea but find excuses instead of pursuing it. Why do you turn your back on your passions, and what happens if you give up on your dreams for good? Using Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, this Refusal of the Call is an important step in our journey to a life of adventure, as we face our fears, and become the heroes that we are meant to be.

Anger begets anger. Our brains radiate their emotional condition outward, much like a wizard casting an area of effect spell in D&D. Looking at Dungeons and Dragons for clues on personal development, is our anger really like casting the Radiance of the Dawn? And are we damaging others when casting our personal anger spells or is it just an emotional radiance that causes no harm?

How is it that time seems to last forever when you’re a kid but races by as we get older? Controlling time is a common theme from sci-fi to fantasy. So many of us want to know how to slow down time. But while we can’t stop the clock, we can change our perception of time. Here are 7 science-backed tips on how to make time go slower and help you spend more time enjoying your life.

Ever had one of those days that just dragged on and felt like forever. Wouldn’t it be great to be like Dr. Strange and manipulate time? We could speed up all those boring days. But while we can’t change time itself, we can change our perception of how fast it’s moving. Without any magic needed, here are 8 tips on how to make time go faster at work or at school, and rush through all boredom.

From that first booster pack, I became a fan of Pokemon TCG. But with the release of new sets, I became Pokemon obsessed. I was afraid of missing out and my passion led to intrusive thoughts. My mind was always on ways to buy and collect Pokemon cards. But I needed to learn how to deal with obsessive thoughts. Here are practical tips on what I learned in my journey in how to overcome obsession.

Stress is often unavoidable. But how we react to stress can have a greater impact on our physical and mental health than the stressor itself. What can RPGs teach us about stress? We typically chose the most beneficial stress management strategies while playing. One of the great benefits of role-playing games is that they can teach adaptive coping mechanisms that we can apply to our real lives.

Whether it’s in a game or in real life, stress happens from the unexpected and things outside of our control. But when faced with difficult situations in RL, we can’t turn it off and walk away. What can we learn from video games and TTRPGs like D&D about stress management and dealing with anxiety in a crisis? Here are 14 techniques to reduce anxiety and stress management for geeks and gamers.

We have big ideas and dreams. We imagine how much better our lives will be. But for all our daydreaming, many of us never get started. What are the reasons we don’t follow our dreams? We need to understand what’s behind the excuses we tell ourselves. It takes courage to follow your dreams and we must face some difficult truths. But knowing how to overcome fear and pursue your dreams, you can finally live the life you imagine.

Over a third of gamers have experienced anxiety and stress-related issues. Stress happens to most of us but there are times that it is too much and we feel overwhelmed. Here are 12 techniques to center ourselves for when stress and anxiety have sent our minds spinning.

Most tabletop role players would tell you of the camaraderie and self-confidence they gain through playing games like D&D.  But researchers have taken notice as well.  Beyond the entertainment value, TTRPGs are a healthy habit to form, granting many benefits for improved mental health and encouraging our personal development.

Superheroes are, by their very nature, special. They exhibit incredible powers and hold themselves to incomparable moral standards. They exist to show us the best possible versions of ourselves. But the X-Men in particular serve to remind us that sometimes we all struggle with self-acceptance and feeling different. But that it is our own uniqueness that makes us special.

Gaming has been blamed for a variety of negative impacts with studies showing a correlation between gaming and mental health issues. But as a gamer myself dealing with anxiety and depression, I’ve always felt that gaming made me feel better, not worse. More recent studies have shown that while there may be a connection between gamers and higher levels of anxiety, it is not necessarily causation. And in fact, gaming has been shown to be beneficial and help symptoms of anxiety and depression in many people.

I can’t see dice.

I can’t see grid maps.

I can’t read spell cards or manuals.

I can’t operate a character sheet.

When I was first invited into a game I certainly didn’t expect to face my worst fear. I absolutely never expected to overcome it.

The holiday can be a wonderful time of the year. But this time of year can also be a great source of anxiety.

And as a gamer, I find that I would much prefer to spend those cozy winter days online in a dungeon than participating in the festive season. And I am far from alone in seeking this Scrooge-like escape. Here are some ways to use gaming and other tips to help with holiday anxiety.

All Green Lantern had to do was think about something and his ring would make it real. But it’s more than creativity, the ring that runs on willpower and courage. And for me, the Green Lantern has come to mean overcoming fears, both external and those the reside inside of us.

We strive towards big dreams and exciting ideas. But sometimes, it feels that we aren’t getting any closer to our goals. Each step is met with someone telling us our victory is in another castle. How do we find the motivation to keep going despite the frustration? Here are some of the best ways to keep you in the game and ready to level up.

Whether it’s a scary movie or haunted fiction, we enjoy being scared. TTRPG horror campaigns let us imagine ourselves as participants in tales of terror.

But they are also good for us mentally and socially. Here are the best reasons why you should try an RPG horror campaign for an experience that you’ll never forget.

I’ve fallen in love with bigger RPG projects, and I think you should to. They’re very rewarding and much easier to achieve than you might think.

Self-sabotage is a vicious cycle where we attack ourselves and limit our abilities to create our best future. How do we define self-sabotaging behavior and why do we do it? Are the signs of self-sabotaging and most importantly, how do we stop ourselves from doing it so that we can become successful and live a better life?