My Crossword Breakup Story
Alright, let’s talk about crosswords. For years, man, that was my ritual. Wake up, grab coffee, and hit the puzzle. Felt kinda smart, you know? Filling in those little squares. Especially the big Saturday ones. It was like a little mountain to climb each morning, or sometimes, each weekend.
But then, things started to feel… off. It wasn’t fun anymore. It felt like homework. I’d get stuck on a clue, like 7 Down, “Obscure river in Chad,” and it would just bug me. The whole morning vibe, ruined. Instead of relaxing me before work, it was winding me up. I’d spend way too long staring at it, sometimes 30 minutes, even an hour gone, just like that. For what? To feel frustrated?
The Turning Point
I remember one specific Tuesday. Standard puzzle, not too hard usually. But I just couldn’t get going. Got maybe three answers. Sat there, coffee getting cold, just feeling… annoyed. And I thought, “Why am I doing this?” It wasn’t making me smarter, wasn’t really enjoyable anymore. It was just this habit I was stuck in.
So, the next day? I just… didn’t do it. Skipped the crossword page entirely. Felt weird, I gotta admit. Like I’d forgotten something important. My fingers kinda twitched for the pen. But I just drank my coffee. Read some news articles instead. Actually finished the coffee while it was still hot.
The Process of Quitting
It wasn’t some big dramatic decision, announced to the world. More like a quiet drifting apart. Here’s kinda how it went down:
- Day 1-3: Skipped it. Felt a bit empty, like a phantom limb thing. Kept thinking, “Maybe just a quick look?” Forced myself not to.
- Day 4: Saw the paper, saw the puzzle. Felt a tiny pull. Ignored it. Read the sports section twice.
- Week 2: Tried one again, just to see. Got annoyed almost instantly by some dumb clue. Put the pen down. That was kind of the nail in the coffin.
- Month 1: Barely thought about it. Found other ways to fill that morning 20-30 minutes. Sometimes just staring out the window, which was surprisingly nice. Sometimes prepping lunch. Sometimes getting a head start on emails, nice and slow.
Where I’m At Now
Honestly? I don’t miss it. Not the way I thought I would. My brain didn’t turn to mush. Shocking, I know. What I got back was time, and less of that low-grade morning frustration. Turns out, starting the day without a self-imposed, sometimes impossible, task is actually… better. Who knew?
It’s weird breaking a habit you’ve had for so long, even a small one like this. But yeah, me and the crossword? We’re done. It was fun for a while, but we just grew apart. It happens.
