I Stopped Watching TV for 2 Months … Here’s What I Learned

I didn’t want the entire month to go by without posting a single thing. So I will share some recent experiences and new revelations.

For those of you who know us, know we have been sort of in limbo these past two months. Nothing crazy, just a lot of moving around but I won’t delve into those details. During this time, however, we haven’t watched any TV. Crazy! I know! But, by no-TV, I mean we haven’t watched shows directly from the TV networks or channel surfed. We can stream any show we’d like, but we’ve chosen not to.

So what do you do with all your ample free time, Alice?

Well, I won’t sit here and ridicule any TV shows or act as if I’ve never been a TV watcher, but, to be honest, I really haven’t been much of a TV watcher. Sure we would catch a few episodes of certain sitcoms here and there for a laugh, or catch up on current events but for the past few years, we haven’t really followed any shows and would only log a few hours per week of watch time. OK, OK we do watch Game of Thrones…

But, my point is, we have both noticed a pretty significant difference and learned a lot ever since we stopped watching TV.

The Detox

We basically went cold turkey. It wasn’t really a conscious decision, we gave up cable and only had the option of streaming the shows we wanted to watch. And as it turns out, there aren’t any shows we want to watch.

Funny how that works, huh?

The first couple of days were a little strange. I wouldn’t describe them as difficult but for a few minutes each day, we felt the void; the need for something to take control and stimulate our minds. We adjusted pretty quickly, however, and it helped that we had a lot going on which occupied our time.

During our TV days, we would come home stressed about life; work projects, personal projects etc. The TV served as an outlet to decompress, a quick get away from the real world if you will. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve never been couch potatoes or anything, we just looked at it as a few hours to take a break from….well…thinking…

What We Learned

“Your eyes can deceive you, don’t trust them.” ~ Obi Wan Kenobi

I’ve said this in a previous post, but I’ll say it again, your surroundings affect your subconscious. What you read, watch and listen to. All of this information is feeding your mind and shaping your thoughts, no matter what the outlet; radio, TV, friends, family or co-workers. Without much work on your part, you become a product of an environment, an environment you’re not really in control of unless you take control…

These past few months have made me realize just how much influence TV has. Even educational documentaries and the news. It has been a very eye-opening experience for the both of us. We’ve noticed the difference in the clarity of our thoughts, the way we communicate even our views and perspectives have shifted. Not to mention we have much more time to enjoy the simple things in life.

Here are some things we’ve learned:

We have so much extra time: Watching TV is a complete time sink. You easily spend hours watching shows that provide no benefit to your life. When we stopped watching, we realized how much more time we have just even for ourselves. We spend so much more time talking, planning and laughing together. We can get so much more accomplished by cutting out TV time.

We started thinking more independently: Sure we thought we already were pretty independent…but television slows down your brain, it’s a one-way medium, so you’re not engaged and you don’t get to interact. You sit there and watch. It distorts your understanding of reality by creating unrealistic expectations and it poisons your belief systems by influencing and molding your thoughts.

We saved money:  Funny enough, not watching TV saved us money. We have more of a desire to enjoy the simple things, like sit and watch the sunset and just enjoy each other’s company rather than go out and spend frivolously.

We feel more in control: We blindly, yet wholeheartedly relinquish control to this black box without even realizing it. On a subconscious level, when you take control of what you watch and what you do with your time, that small act of power has a major impact in your life, you enter a new frequency. And over time, this new conditioning leaks over into your everyday life and becomes who you are. It may seem small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but it’s actually a simple act of rebellion. You’re taking back your power.

We addressed life issues: This one sort of sums up all of the above, but with the renewed clarity, extra time and self-control, we were forced to deal with our daily stresses head on. The stresses we would normally drown out with comedic distractions were now front and center. We had to thoughtfully confront them in real time and brainstorm solutions.

We noticed a little boost in health: On a physical, level, you’re sitting down stagnant for hours, most likely in a slouched position, maybe even snacking on something you shouldn’t be eating while watching TV.

Free Your Mind

 “I find television very educational. Every time someone switches it on I go into another room & read a good book.” – Groucho Marx

It’s only been 2 months for us, but the changes are real and I do want to encourage all of you to cut back on those hours of TV. Do something different, call someone you love, go for a walk, try a new recipe, read a book…there are so many things you can do to make better use of your time and I promise, you’re not missing out on anything when you turn off the tube. Start building your own stories rather than watching them.

Try it!! Maybe a 30-day challenge of no TV? At the very least, you will learn something new and explore new corners of your own mind…next up, social media???