Day 26 - No TV, No Radio, No News, No Gossip Day - 30 Mindfulness Challenge

raluca (64)in #life • 8 years ago

My journey from very little TV, to too much TV and no TV again

A few years ago I had a conversation with @dragosroua about ways to relax and reconnect and he played a joke on me.

He put on a serious face and he told me: "Sometimes when I need to relax and spend some time on my own I go home and look at my TV" then he paused for a few seconds, waiting for my reaction, cause he knew I've given up watching TV years ago. After my surprised "huh?", he added smiling: "and then, after a few hours I might turn it on and put on a movie I like." :)

He reminded me of this quote: "I must say I find television very educational. The minute somebody turns it on, I go into the library and read a good book." ~Groucho Marx

Anyway, fast forward to the present days, we still don't watch TV at all, we even gave up our cable subscription altogether.

But how did we end up here?

After the 1989 revolution in Romania, we've made the transition from having 2h of TV per day, most of it consisting of communist propaganda, to non-stop movies, news, shows, cartoons, and music like everywhere else in the western world.

We've been hypnotised, like innocent kids who are left in front of the TV. I was 9 at that time, but I am talking here about a whole nation.

It took me many years to realize the amount of junk I was exposed to, and to gradually cut back on what I was watching.

The first things I gave up watching have been violent movies and the news. I was still watching some comedy or good quality shows, but in the end, along with the access to the Internet, I didn't see the utility of TV anymore.

And from the variety of junk spread on TV and the radio, the news are the worst.

The tone, the "end of the world" feeling, the subliminal fear and terror that is induced with every negative piece of information is one of the most poisonous things for our subconscious mind.

I just avoid being exposed to it, in any form it might be delivered, and I feel great.

So I suggest you try this too, at least for today, and see how it goes.

Day 26 - No TV, No News, No Gossip Day

How to do this: There are 2 situations you might be in now:

You are still watching TV on a regular basis.
You have given up TV and reading or listening to any news altogether. So today's practice has two versions, adapted for each situation.

Choose the one that suits you.

If you are still watching TV, then today your challenge is to NOT watch any TV at all. Also do no listen to any news on the radio, and do not check the news on the Internet either. Just for today, stay away from any news source. Trust me, if anything really important happens, you will find out from word of mouth.
If you have already given up watching TV and reading or listening to any kind of news already, then your challenge for today is to go even deeper and avoid any news, gossip related conversation at work or in your family.

Notice how easy it is to be dragged into the "news" conversations and just for today, don't take part in them. Leave the room or put on headphones with your favourite music if you can't "escape" otherwise.

So that's my suggestions for today's exercise.

Give it a try, have fun with it and let me know how it went.

image source Unpslah

A note on The 30 Days Mindfulness Challenge. I initially published this challenge 2 years ago on my blog Being Raluca and I'm using those articles as a base for this one. I sometimes rewrite 80% of the article, other times I keep more of the original version and rewrite and add less new content.

I'm a psychologist, intuitive coach, blogger and vlogger. You can find me mainly on my blog at Being Raluca where I write about communication, relationships, listening and sexuality. Here on Steemit you may stay updated by following me @raluca.