My First YouTube Video: Overcoming Overthinking & Filming My First Playthrough
Hey friend!
I wanted to take a little time to get personal and share some of my thoughts and experiences this week—plus the steps I took to finally film my first YouTube video on my gaming channel!
Where to Start…?
It feels like my inner thoughts are 147 tabs open at once.
Lately, life has been lifing—I’ve been overwhelmed, and work as a therapist has felt heavier some days. But even through that, I’ve had a small spark of creative energy. Not a lot, but hey, I’ll take what I can get. 🤣
YouTube is something I’ve researched for years. And when I say years, I mean I’ve watched hundreds of hours of “how to YouTube” content but barely taken action. Do you ever over-research before actually starting? Because that is literally the story of my life.
Back in 2018, I made planner videos, which I enjoyed, but it wasn’t sustainable for me. Then I got into streaming and gaming communities, and the analysis paralysis came right back.
Just Hit Record
This week, though, something shifted. I finally told myself: Just do it. Thinking about it wasn’t going to make it happen. And honestly? With ADHD, sometimes just thinking about the goal feels like making progress, even when I haven’t done a thing. That’s such a trap, but I pushed past it.
What helped the most? Reminding myself that no one is going to see my first video anyway. 😂 I know that sounds backwards, but hear me out—perfectionism was stopping me because I kept comparing my first attempt to polished, high-quality videos from seasoned creators. But the truth is, I don’t have practice yet. The only way to get better is to start, mess up, learn, and improve.
Behind the Scenes: How I Filmed My First Video
I decided on Avowed for my first playthrough. I picked it because it was:
✔ A new-ish game
✔ Available on Xbox Game Pass
✔ Something I was genuinely interested in
I set up OBS, created a recording scene (just my mic + game sound), and opened DaVinci Resolve (DR) for editing.
1️⃣ Sound Check – I hit record in OBS, stopped it after a bit, then dragged the file into DR to check how it looked and sounded.
2️⃣ Segmented Filming – To avoid massive files, I recorded in chunks and edited as I went. Probably not the most efficient method, but it worked!
3️⃣ Editing & Exporting – I noticed that OBS imported six audio tracks (for what reason, I have no idea), and I didn’t delete them. Next time, I will because the final video had some blown-out audio in places.
What I’d Do Differently Next Time
• Trim Character Creation & Mechanics – I felt pressured to rush through, but in hindsight, summarizing those parts would’ve helped me fumble less with the controls.
• Slow Down & Read – Prerecorded content isn’t live streaming! I need to pause, read, and actually absorb mechanics before jumping in. Reading is fundamental. 😂
• Add More Reflections – I want my YouTube videos to offer more than just my live reactions—pausing to share deeper thoughts on the game could help me make the content more engaging.
Thumbnail & Final Thoughts
For the thumbnail, I just made a quick one in Canva with “PART 1” since I personally love seeing game series on YouTube, and I think I’m committing to a Part 2.
Overall, I’m really proud of this first attempt. There’s so much to learn, but I’m excited for what’s next! Thanks for being on this journey with me—your support means so much. 💕
➡ Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/oUbyTOTFT1o
