September 14, 2016

Guilty Pleasures

What is your favorite guilty pleasure?

Mine has always been reality TV.  I always describe myself as a reality TV junkie and proud of it.  I mean it's part of my tagline for crying out loud. But is it really a guilty pleasure e if it's something you don't feel guilty about?

Until recently, that is.

As you know I love me some Bachelor/Bachelorette, who doesn't?  I had never given into Bachelor In Paradise {BIP from here on out} franchise and really never thought twice about it.  This summer I thought, "what the heck?" and decided I'd enjoy this train wreck too.  Except after watching the first episode I felt so icky.  I guess I should have known what I was signing myself up for but this was so much worse/gross/traumatizing/sad than any season of The Bachelor/Bachelorette {in my opinion}.  I gave it until episode 3 {or maybe it was 4} before I finally gave up on it.

Shortly after I had 4 or 5 episodes of KUWTK recorded on the DVR along with 4 or 5 episodes of Botched and 3 episodes of UnREAL {I know it's not technically a reality show} that I just clicked 'delete' on.  You guys, IT FELT SO GOOD.  I can't even tell you the feeling just seeing those shows on my recorded list gave me.  I literally felt wrong watching it.  Like I'd be embarrassed if someone came over and saw those shows I recorded.  I guess I do have a moral compass?

Recently I've been making lots of changes in the guilty pleasure department.  On top of getting rid of some {let's face it I can't give up on my Housewives} reality/trash TV, I've changed up my morning rituals.  I used to wake up and grab my phone of the nightstand first thing, doesn't everyone?  I'd gaze into that screen all sleepy-eyed and squinting until my eyes adjusted to the brightness.  I'd scroll through the last 9 hours of my Instagram feed, catch up on all my Snap stories, check my email and maybe even entertain Twitter if I was really avoiding my feet hitting the floor.  I realized that when I did that, if there was something I saw/read/heard THAT early int the morning it kind of, sort of affected my day.  Some days I'd see/hear/read good things and that was fine but the days where I'd see/hear/read something that wasn't necessarily uplifting to me it kinda put me in a funk for the whole day.  It probably sounds pretty sad that I could let social media affect me that way but I'm sure someone can relate.

So instead of grabbing for my phone first thing, I simply turn off my alarm and head to the kitchen.  I make a cup of coffee and I sit down with my journal.  I've never been much of a journal person so I didn't know exactly how I was going to like journaling but I have found it to be very therapeutic.  I've been doing daily affirmations/mantras every day right when I wake up with my cup of {hot} coffee.  Once I am done I pray over them and I start my day.  I cannot tell you the difference it has made in my life.  It's helped me be more successful with my job, it's helped me control my poor eating habits, it's helped me stay focused on the good rather than dwell on the negative, it's helped me be more present with my kids.  It's definitely a better way to start my day than scrolling through other people's lives.

I've also started reading more.  I've always liked reading but I never made time for it.  I used to only read at bedtime which was not productive because I'd fall asleep after 10 pages and then wonder why it took me months to finish a book.  Since I've cut out some of my trash TV I've started reading more, randomly, in the middle of the day and it feels good to get lost in a book again.  I just started reading The Passenger and I'm already hooked and I'm only a few chapters in {what is going on with this woman?!}.  I'm sure my brain is happy to be doing more constructive things than watching young singles hookup, break up and then hookup again.

So what are some of your favorite guilty pleasures?  Do you feel guilty about them?  Does that still make them guilty pleasures?

3 comments:

  1. Let's see, I don't do tv unless it is Paw Patrol or some cartoon, I can't indulge myself in ice cream because I have three ankle biters that will inhale it before I do and shopping is a no because well I hate shopping. I do get my hair done every 6-8 weeks and sometimes I feel guilty leaving my babies behind so I could enjoy a quiet drive, adult conversation and pretty hair. OHOH- I do play/read my iPad from the time I crawl in bed until I start to doze off. That is all I have. I wish I had time for tv because that would totally be my guilty pleasure... #imissadulttv #iamnottalkingratedr

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  2. Yeah, I hate "reality" tv with a passion. First of all, none of is reality. Second of all, I am think of garbage in and garbage out every time I see that stuff/hear about it. I cannot stand Real Housewives of (Whatever Place) and hate having those images in my home, especially now that my kids are so impressionable and can see what I watch and don't watch now. And, yes, on the phone. I hate iPhones. I do. I feel like, "People operated without phones years ago. My parents weren't staring at their phones all day." I teach a during the day, then workout, then cook dinner, then drive my kids back and forth to their activities, then we spend an hour or more in the evenings reading aloud to the kids ... not to say all of this goes perfectly or that I am some Mother of the Year ... but no TV in house during the week because we would rather be doing something more productive with our minds, spirits, and bodies. It is amazing how far away we have gotten from television now, and my kids actually would rather be doing something else besides watching Tv. You saw that with Daphne at Aileen's house when we were there. We are avid readers. The whole family. I am SO happy you read so much now. You know me and my books. I read A LOT for both pleasure and graduate school. My guilty pleasure? Not sure. Maybe, getting a pedicure/manicure and a haircut. Even then, that is rare, I guess (like Christi every 6-8 weeks). Great post! I am glad to see how much you are growing. Excited for you!

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  3. i've been doing a bit of bullet journaling every night...i wouldn't call that a guilty pleasure but i do enjoy it.

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