Personally, I don’t have many past relationships that I am interested in rekindling or maintaining. I have a small group of close friends, a larger group of not as close friends, and my family. Beyond that I have work acquaintances, but those are people you’re sort of forced to see and spend time with. We meet lots of people over the course of our lives. Some are there to stay, and others aren’t. Maybe you no longer have the same interests or worldviews. Maybe someone had a kid or got involved with a partner that took all of their attention. Are these people you genuinely want to reconnect with, or do you feel obligated to check in because of your history with them? In any case, it’s probably worth remembering that your brain can only handle so many relationships. In my case, I’ve found my relationship comfort zone and am very happy to have the people in my life that I do, and don’t feel a need to search for more.
The biggest change for me has been the way I play compared to 5-10 years ago. I used to engage in a way that was probably unhealthy. I wanted to play whatever my friends were playing, and whatever was popular. I wanted to play the way you’re “supposed” to play. Oftentimes this meant playing games I didn’t actually enjoy, or getting far too sweaty and frustrated at a competitive game. I didn’t have a good time playing those games, but I played them to be a “real gamer” or to connect with people. These days I’m playing what I want, when I feel like playing. If I feel like playing some COD, I’m going to do that even if everyone and their grandma talks about how bad of a game it is, because what matters is that I’m enjoying myself. I still play games with friends often, but I’m more careful to step away if I find myself getting salty. All of that said, I think the tide may be shifting a little, and more people seem to have a casual approach lately. There’s less “you gotta play on EXTREME NIGHTMARE IMPOSSIBLE difficulty, or you’re not really playing the game” than I remember in the communities. Enjoy the games you play. It’s an art form, not a torture method.