The Reality Show Mentality

The following were my tips for Rejecting the Reality Show Mentality & Rising Above the Drama:

1. Change your diet – After an all-day marathon of pulling off wigs and table-flipping drama, you’re ready to jump on the next person who comes through your door or you’re ready to give a nasty look to a person who “looked at you wrong” in the grocery store. Do yourself a favor and eliminate it from your diet so that the drama stays on TV and not in your life. There are some reality shows that inspire and have us dreaming again. We must watch with a purpose. Invite positivity, love, and encouragement into your life.

2. Solve disagreements and misunderstandings quickly – Talk through misunderstandings and don’t let too much time pass during times of tension. Apologize when you’re wrong, keep others out of your affairs, and stay out of every one else’s. When you’re mad at someone, often times you want to see them punished for what they said or did and the “perfect” remedy could be what you just saw on television. That road could lead to the point of no return. Turn away from the madness, forgive, and love one another unconditionally.

3.  Focus on the real reality – The gig is up folks. Some aspects aren’t real and others are greatly exaggerated. Just like your mom’s soap opera, these actors are putting on a performance for you. Take a deep breath: Everyone is not a hater, you can have real friends who won’t stab you in your back, and life can be largely drama-free if you choose.

4. Keep the kids away – If these types of programs aren’t good for adults, they’re definitely harmful for our children. A child’s brain isn’t fully developed yet and we all know they’re sponges. They repeat and imitate us and what they see on television. Unfortunately, it’s always loud and in front of an audience, at the most inconvenient times. Save yourself the embarrassment and additional behavioral problems and shield them from the chaos.

5. Turn the TV off – If you want to reach your goals, cut down your TV time. Studies show that Americans are watching more than 7 hours and 50 minutes of television per day. I heard someone say years ago, “When you’re watching TV, you’re watching someone else’s dream.” Find other ways to reduce and eliminate stress like meditating, reading a good book, or writing in your journal that could turn into your own book one day. Hitting the weight room and doing activities and exercises such as karate, kickboxing, and yoga can let off steam and prevent negative feelings from festering.