I saw a lot of people making blog posts on Discord, so here is mine in case anyone wants to know what I am up to. This post is kinda a brain dump of various topics I've been thinking about recently.
Why I’m Not Making Videos Right Now
I don’t have strong plans to make YouTube videos at the moment. That could change, but I feel like I got the big ideas out that I felt I had to say. I still care about writing and video as a craft. The process of writing and putting down my thoughts in a way that an audience can digest is so important, especially with AI tools causing so much cognitive offloading (in other words, writing keeps my brain from turning to mush). I just don’t have a topic that compels me to record a new video, and I don’t want to post for the sake of posting. If something inspires me, I'll post about it.
Life Focus
Right now my life is focused on a few things: work, boxing, and spending time with people I care about. I’m lucky to be able to afford living in a city where many of my college friends are still around. I want to make the most of this period of my life before people move, switch jobs, or start families. That looks like calling old friends I haven’t talked to in a while, planning dinner parties and other events, and enjoying and appreciating art with the people I love. I’m so privileged to have the opportunity to live this way right now and I don't want to take it for granted.
Being Less Online
I’m trying to spend less time online. I’m not looking to join more online communities. I want my energy to go into my real relationships and my local community. I still poke around, but I’m trying not to spend too much time on Discord or other social media. Please don’t take it personally; it just isn’t a priority for me right now.
My Current Social Media Habits
I browse Reddit logged out and check the same subreddits a few times a day. I’ve made an effort to cut out most personalization algorithms, which helps, but I still do scroll more than I'd like. Working remotely makes it easy for me to lose focus in-between tasks, so I’m wondering if going into the office more could help. But on the other hand, working remotely fucking rocks.
On “Study With Me” Content
A lot of creators I follow are in the “study with me” space, and I feel like I’ve been lumped in with that genre. I’ve never felt compelled to stream, and I don’t want to contribute to that niche. I’m not a student anymore, and I don’t love how that format can turn work into something to idolize. It can imply that if you study and grind hard enough, you’ll end up happy. That works for some people, but right now I’d rather put that effort into friendships, calling people I miss, and being present with the people I love. That said, I do enjoy tuning into streams sometimes and hanging in the chat. I don’t think I’ve fully articulated my thoughts on this yet, so I may dive deeper later. The streams can be helpful; they’re just not something I’m interested in making.
Why Boxing Matters To Me Right Now
Boxing gets me out of my comfort zone (there’s literally nothing more uncomfortable than getting punched in the face). My gym is a community of people from all walks of life, and we’re all trying to get a little better at not getting hit and being able to hit back. What’s surprising is how kind everyone is. No one is selfish, and everyone is rooting for each other to get better. There’s something unique about boxing: I can fight someone, we both beat the shit out of each other, and once the round is over we collapse and give each other a huge hug. There’s nothing more intense than fighting, and I’m truly grateful I can pursue it now, even though I have no ambition to compete professionally. I have an exhibition fight in December and, although there are no winners or losers, I’m working hard to keep improving.
I’m not doing boxing for external validation or any extra reward. I’ve never really been an athlete, so part of the draw is being a beginner and seeing clear progress over time. There’s a big gap between someone who just started, a year in, and the year after that. That progression is motivating. I have no interest in getting brain damage, so I don’t expect to do this forever. It’s just a fun, demanding goal for me right now. I got in the ring once, and now I want to do it better. Eventually I’ll move on to something else. For now, I want to get better at it.
On YouTube and Idolization
I’m grateful I started a YouTube channel. It’s a creative home I can return to when I have something clear to say. I like the people who found me, and I hope the videos I’ve made helped people think and talk about those topics. But I’m careful about idolization. I don’t want to be seen as an authority. I’m a 23-year-old guy figuring it out like everyone else.
Closing
It was nice to blog for a change. I feel like I have a lot of ideas swirling in my head, so it's good to get them out somewhere. I still feel like I haven't fully developed my ideas, but I'd rather put out this half-baked blog post and think about them more than nothing at all. If you took the time to read this, I appreciate it!