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.

Many games let players personalize their character’s development through a game skill tree. Different combinations allow for a great variety in gameplay and player engagement. What are different player types on RPG skill trees? What about real-life skill trees? How to manage our goals through levels of experience and how we can create our own skill tree for real life?

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.

Have you ever enjoyed huge RPGs like Skyrim, Fallout 4, or The Witcher 3 with numerous side quests? Side quests can be a great addition but they can also distract from the main story. What about in real life? The side quests in life often distract from our real-life main quest too. How can you find a balance between working on your dreams and completing those real-life side quests?

“Life is a game.” Gamification is a powerful tool to motivate us by making tasks more fun and enjoyable. Companies have used it for over 100 years to encourage us to buy their products and schools have found great success gamifying education. But what is the science behind gamification and how does it work?

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.

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.

In a world where the line between our work and personal lives is blurred, it's hard to find moments of calm amongst the chaos. But finding downtime is essential for mental health and a productive mind.

Stories take us to far-off places, or they can make the familiar world seem strange and new. But while we are mentally journeying through those worlds, the act of reading them is improving our mental and physical wellbeing.

What if I told you there was power in underwear? Believe it or not, what we choose to wear under our clothes can have a real impact on us psychologically. Our underwear can reflect our personality and boost our self-confidence and self-esteem. It can even help us grow as individuals. There really is an effect of underwear and mental health.

“Dare to be different”. It’s a nice quote but what is the actual dare to be different meaning? It's hard to accept our true selves instead of being what is expected of us. We avoid it to stay “safe.” But playing Dungeons and Dragons taught me about being self-confident and accepting yourself. The true commonality is celebrating we’re all different and being happy when we dare to be ourselves.

A good book takes us out of our daily lives and returns us to a childlike belief in magic and imagination. These fantasy authors of the past are a great place to find inspiration.