Name: Chuck McDaniel

Social Media Handle/Username: corpsekiit

Introduce Yourself/Tell About Yourself: Howdy! My name is Chuck and I’m a 23 year old streamer and part time freelance artist! I’ve been doing art for just short of 14 years, and posting it online for about 10. Art and streaming are two things I’ve always been passionate about, and something I’m excited I’ve been able to continue to peruse.

I started streaming on Twitch about 4 years ago, and I never expected to be where I am now with it. When I was younger, I always had a huge fondness for YouTube let’s plays, specifically horror games, and always wanted to do something akin to it. I now primarily play horror games, along with other titles as well. The past 4 years I have worked to build a safe space for all, and a community where anyone can feel welcome, kick up their feet, and just relax for a while to have a good time.

What Inspires You Every day? : My fiancé and best friend are two of the most important people in my life, and they always give me the strength to keep going.

My fiancé , Misha, has a drive that amazes me even many years later, she’s so smart and determined. She knows what she wants and she always puts her best foot forward to achieve her goals. I love being able to see her succeed, and her determination and drive are something that inspires me daily.

My best friend, Fen, is such a strong and kind hearted person. No matter what life seems to throw at her, she’s always able to overcome it. She works so hard each and every day, even if she isn’t feeling her best. She’s been an inspiration of mine for many years, even before we knew each other personally. She makes me want to work harder to reach my goals, and still inspires me greatly today.

What is some words of wisdom you live by?: “Progress not perfection.”

When I was younger, my dad would always leave me notes in my lunch for school. They said the usual things, reminding me of stuff that needed to be turned in, or something we needed to do after school, or just him reminding me that he loves me. But something he wrote from time to time always stuck with me, and still makes me smile to this day, progress not perfection. He even still texts me it on occasion.

I find myself thinking of it specifically when I get frustrated, maybe I’m not making the progress I want to, something isn’t turning out right, or I feel like I’m taking too long on something that shouldn’t have taken much time at all. But reminding myself that I’m at least making progress, even if it’s not perfect, is better than no progress at all.

What is your ultimate goal in life? : I always struggle with this question, because I typically change what my goal for the future is a lot. I guess my ultimate goal would be to live the happiest and best life I possibly can. Do things for me and become the person I want to see myself as! I’ve started a good track for that in the recent years and I couldn’t be happier.

How have you been during the pandemic and how has it affected you? : The pandemic brought a lot of unexpected changes for me, right before it all dropped out, I left a job that wasn’t treating me right. Eventually, right as the brunt of the pandemic hit, I moved in with my fiancé, settling down in New Jersey. None of it was planned, but I knew I needed a change in scenery once I had quit my previous day job.

During the pandemic, I was able to focus more on the things I enjoyed doing and felt I was good at, my art and streaming. I had the freedom to put all of my time into these things that made me happy, and with that I’ve built such a fun and loving community to surround myself with! It wasn’t all positive, I found myself getting burnt out more frequently, worrying that I didn’t deserve what I was making for myself. It’s been hard to help myself realize that just because what I do is different from a traditional job, doesn’t mean I’m not working as hard as someone else.

I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished, even if I wasn’t sure how to be in the beginning.

What is a message you would like to give others? : Progress not perfection. Any progress is good progress, even if it’s slow, you’ll get there. There are always going to be people in your corner and who will believe in you no matter what.

What else would you like to tell others about you or your life?: Growing up, I convinced myself that I needed to fit the mold of everyone’s expectations, and that if I didn’t I wasn’t good enough or that I was a failure. As I’ve gotten older and started to grow into who I truly am, I’ve realized how false and harmful that mindset is. Be true to yourself, you don’t have to fit into the mood others make for you, you were meant to grow and change, allow yourself to do that.