Episode 123: What GMing Has Taught Me About LIfe

Seize the GM

00:00 / 36:26

Main Topic

Welcome to a brief break from the planned Inspiration for Different Campaign Series! As an impromptu change of pace, we look at skills we have taken from GMing to our meatspace and real life. After a truly unique year in 2020, we have all had to learn to adapt and deal with a world that has stressed us and challenged us in new ways. Because life continues to make things challenging and to coincide with the end of Mental Health Awareness Month (May here in the United States), we talk about how GMing has helped us process and survive. How did GMing help you?

Learning not to be talked over/Taking control of a situation.
When to let go and have people discuss things amongst themselves and learning to be a listener on the periphery, maybe subtly guiding a conversation but not being a participant.
Learning when to walk away. Tabling when the horse is beyond beaten and has become a smooshy bloody smear

Aplomb and Grace – Everyone has times and places they make a mistake; how you deal with them is the important question. GMing has helped me, especially in the past year, manage setbacks, mistakes, and the unexpected with a much greater amount of grace and equanimity.
Know When to Stop Preparing – Yes, you can be overprepared. It was hard for this former Boy Scout, Senior Patrol Leader, Order of the Arrow do-gooder to learn but there is a point where being prepared *more* doesn’t help. It is like analysis paralysis, and you have to know that sometimes rolling with what you have will be better than not moving at all.

Closing remarks

Joules – Drawfee. It’s a youtube channel with 4 different artists that take on various art challenges. Everything from drawing a Dark Souls/Hollow Knight mashup to turning fine art into fantastic anime

Guard-a-Manger – National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Life is hard. There is nothing wrong with being in pain including mental pain. If you are feeling at risk for suicide, reach out. You are not alone and there are people who will listen and who will talk to you. Mental Health is health and we all need to be mindful of taking care of our own.

Music is courtesy of Sim on Twitter you can find him at @TheSimulacrae