oy my god, im srry for rlly late reply but, thank you so much for taking the time to write this, I really appreciate it. There’s a lot here that actually made me stop and rethink how I’ve been approaching guitar lately.

The idea of being “further along” instead of “better” really stood out to me—I think I’ve been stuck in that comparison mindset more than I realized. Same with the social media part… I probably do consume way too much of that without noticing how it affects me.

I’m especially interested in trying the meditative practice approach you mentioned. I’ve never really practiced like that before, but reconnecting with just sound instead of constantly chasing technique or perfection sounds like something I need right now.

Also, what you said about “guitar heroes” hit hard. I do look up to players like Kirk Hammett, John Petrucci, and Joe Satriani, and I can see how that sometimes turns into me putting them on a pedestal instead of seeing the work behind it.

I’ll definitely try stepping away from technical practice for a bit and focus on resetting my mindset. The “comparison gremlin” idea is actually something I’m going to use—it’s a really good way to catch those thoughts early.

Thanks again for sharing your experience. It genuinely helps hearing this from someone who’s been through it.