How To Be More Relaxed

A Spirit City Review

I didn't think that Spirit City would be 'my kind of thing' so I am shocked to feel the need to write a review for it! But it is teaching me a huge lesson in how to be more relaxed.

So on a whim I impulse bought Spirit City: Lofi Sessions in the Steam sale. It is really not my thing - too cutesy! I am certain I am not their target audience at all. But I saw some reviews raving about it, and it was on sale, and so hey, here we are!

Firstly Spirit City is not really a game. It is marketed as a gamified focus tool. The Steam introduction says it is..

'a gamified focus tool, set to a soothing lofi soundtrack. Discover and collect Spirits, customize your cozy virtual space, and facilitate your real-life tasks with a collection of handy features designed to improve concentration and ease stress.'

I think a lot of people with ADHD seem to find it useful for focussing on their studies or tasks if you take a look at the reviews on Steam. So if you are struggling with that you might want to take a look at their launch video and see if you think it could help you.

I don't know that I have ever particularly listened to lofi soundtracks (although I know Lofi Girl on youtbe is popular). I usually prefer nature sounds if anything when I am working on the PC (which isn't a problem because Spirit City has those too).

As far as productivity goes, I keep track of plans and todos, (plus write my journal) in my Hobonichi Cousin (or on Obsidian).

So it is a big surprise to me to find that I actually LOVE Spirit City.

Not for the productivity Pomodoro timers or to do lists.
Not for the inbuilt journal
Not for the habit tracker
And definitely not because of the cute spirit animals or room decorating or avatar customization.

But because my avatar really knows how to chill out!

The Lost Art of How to Be More Relaxed

I think it is a general thing that we (the human race!) are less and less able to just switch off. We are bombarded with digital screens, advertising, productivity hacks, social media and so on. All the time! We can get caught up in this and sometimes totally zone out - but the mind is still overwhelmed and we are certainly not 'at ease'. We think we are relaxing, but actually we are just distracting ourselves.

Even when I am reading or just sitting crocheting I generally am 'doing it with purpose' and not just being still and quiet. It has been a while since I felt I had time to just sit with myself or even take a moment to be mindful. And I hadn't even realized it.

Spirit City

Which brings me back to Spirit City. I am loving it because my avator is so calm. I mean seriously, that girl always looks comfortable and relaxed. Everything in the 'game' is just so chill. I can make her work, sure! But even sitting at her desk typing she exudes a sense of peacefulness.

Sometimes, and honestly this was a huge shock to me, she just sits around sipping tea in front of the fire! Or looking out of the window. And NOT doing anything!

Once I got over being speechless at her brazen relaxing I was hooked!

I still work on my PC, but with my body double avatar looking so carefree and laid back, I am tending to relax into what I am doing instead of getting into a frenzy. Sometimes (and this is hard to say out loud) we both just sit about and sip our tea or read our books. Or look out of the window.

Spirit City really made me realize that even when I am allegedly relaxing, I have been doing it in a stress filled way :) My Spirit City avatar is showing me a whole new way of just being. Who would have thought it!

Admittedly, I still feel the need to set a timer on my goofing off. But a five minute down time break between my work sessions has been eye opening. I didn't realize how much I wind myself up every day over the littlest things. And how little I take the time to just pause and be in the now.

Just one word of warning. The game does make my laptop work hard - although the game screen never glitches. I did have to turn down my screen resolution and refresh rate so I can hear the Spirit City sounds over the sound of my laptop fan going nineteen to the dozen!

If you are a stressed out A type personality or just feel you are always rushing around like a mad person, then maybe take a look at Spirit City and see if it can help you relearn how to be more relaxed

. For me, it has been worth every penny.