In this episode, I’m peeling back the layers and talking about a part of me that I kept hidden for over 20 years: my life as a gamer.
Yep. I’ve been a gamer since the ’90s, but life, expectations, and trying to “fit in” pulled me away from something I truly loved.
Whether you’re a fellow gamer, a content creator, or just someone who’s put a passion on pause… this one’s for you.
Highlights:
- My early gaming years (cue nostalgia!)
- Why I stopped playing and stayed quiet about it
- The pandemic gaming renaissance
- A reminder to make time for the things that light you up
If you’re new here, remember to check out Episode 1 for a proper intro to the podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2jrQrGKFwERkwdMG6CE6Ya?si=452bdac692074562
Episode 4 coming soon on August 22nd, 2025.
Full Episode Transcript
Hey, welcome back to another episode of JacQ of All Trades, the podcast for curious minds, multi-passionate creators, and people who’ve ever hit ‘Continue’ on a game… only to realize they haven’t touched a controller in years.
You’re now tuning into Episode 4, and first of all, if you’ve been hanging out with me since Episode 1, I just wanna say a big thank you. You’re the real MVPs. I see you, I appreciate you, and I love that we’re on this wild content-creator-meets-human-being journey together.
And if you’re new here….hi!
I’m Jacq, your multi-passionate solopreneur and gamer. This podcast is where I blab about everything I write plus all the messy, unfiltered stuff that never made it into the final draft.
If you haven’t listened to my very first episode yet, that’s where I spill the beans on why I started this podcast in the first place so feel free to start there for a proper intro. Or just jump around like you’re looting random chests in a game. I support both.
Now, in this episode, I thought I’d share a bit more about the other side of me. A side not many people saw for the longest time.
That’s right, we’re talking about my gamer life. For more than 20 years, I kept that part of me hidden like a rare item you only find after solving a ridiculous side quest. Even people who were close to me had no idea, well, of course until recently, I guess.
I know….wild, right? Especially now that I run a gaming blog and a YouTube channel.
It’s not that I was ashamed of it….far from it. I lit up whenever someone mentioned video games. But I always talked myself out of diving back in. Always said, “Not now,” “Too busy,” “Maybe later.” And “later” turned into years.
Now, don’t worry. This isn’t some tragic tale about quitting games forever and turning into a tax accountant. (No offense to the number lovers out there.) It’s more like a story of rediscovery, of pausing something you love because life got loud… and then hitting resume when the world finally gave you a moment to breathe.
Let’s rewind a little.
My gaming journey started in the ‘90s, when my parents bought me and my brother a Family Computer or what was known as Famicom. If you’re from my generation, you probably just got hit with a wave of nostalgia. If you know, you know. If you’re younger and wondering what the heck that is, imagine a device where you had to blow on the cartridge and pray to the gaming gods for it to start. Ancient tech. Beautiful memories.
We played for hours and days…until one day, our TV literally started smoking while we were playing. Did we stop playing? No. We ran. My mom was furious. I was terrified… and also laughing. (In hindsight. Definitely not in that moment.)
From there, we moved on to Nintendo, then Playstation, and eventually PC. But somewhere along the way…while my brother kept leveling up, I… stopped.
What happened? Life. That’s what.
When I hit high school, an all-girls high school, mind you, gaming just wasn’t a “thing” in that circle. I went from being the girl who played with the boys to the girl who stayed quiet about games so I could fit in. I’m just so glad there are tons of female gamers out there these days.
At university, I had some time to dabble, mostly in casual games. But nothing like before. After graduation, it got even harder. Commitments piled up. Responsibilities took over. Gaming became a distant dream. Always wanted… never prioritized.
But here’s the thing about passion, it doesn’t die. It waits.
It wasn’t until the pandemic hit and the world hit pause that I found my way back to gaming.
While everyone was learning how to make sourdough or reorganizing their spice rack, I was over here going, “Wait. I can finally play again?!”
That’s when I stumbled upon LifeAfter, a post-apocalyptic zombie survival game by NetEase and not long after, boom! Genshin Impact showed up and stole my heart.
The moment I stepped into that world, it was like something inside me clicked. The gorgeous landscapes, the storylines, the freedom to explore, it reminded me of why I fell in love with gaming in the first place.
And just like that, the gamer in me came back in full force.
Today, I game regularly, still playing Genshin, still discovering new titles and best of all, I’m no longer hiding it.
I share it openly on YouTube. I write about it on my blog. I even talk about it in this podcast.
Hello, growth.
I’m not aiming to go pro, but I make time for it. Because this hobby? It’s not “just a game.” It’s joy. It’s connection. It’s a reminder of who I am underneath all the busy.
And through all this, gaming ended up unlocking a whole new love for content creation.
I started making gaming videos, and to my surprise, I loved it. The recording, the editing, the commentary, the way everything comes together like a creative puzzle… it just clicked.
What’s even better? It brought my other hobbies back into the picture; writing, designing, storytelling and all the things I used to love but had to put on the shelf.
So yeah, gaming didn’t just pull me back into the game world. It reignited that joy of creating again.
Now, before I wrap this up…if you’ve ever let go of something you love because you didn’t have the time, or you felt like it didn’t “fit” the version of you that the world expected, let this be your reminder:
It’s not about how many hours you spend on your passion. It’s about making space for the things that light you up.
Even if it’s just 30 minutes a week, that’s 30 minutes well spent. Reclaim those sparks. Because a life that doesn’t make room for what lights you up? That’s not a life well-lived. That’s just existing on autopilot.
That’s it for this episode of JacQ of All Trades. If you resonated with this, let me know! You can find me on Threads, Facebook, and Instagram.
And if you’re just now picking your passion back up again whether it’s gaming, painting, music, or something totally different, I’m rooting for you.
Thanks for listening, and until next time, take care of yourself, and don’t forget to take time for yourself, too.
