Happiness Doesn’t Need a Subscription (But I Still Watch Bravo)

 The world’s gotten mighty skilled at making distraction profitable. Every platform promises “escape” in shiny high definition: Hulu, Netflix, Peacock, Prime. I’ve subscribed to ‘em all, bless my overstimulated heart.

I’ll confess: I’ve streamed everything from Hallmark to Bravo. A little I Love Lucy when I need comfort, a little Real Housewives when I need chaos (and a reminder of what not to become). In moderation, it’s fine — a little relief from the world’s noise, a quick dose of disruption for the stressed-out soul. But it’s dangerous dangling over that ditch; once you get in, it might take you a day, a weekend, or a week, to crawl out. 

You start with one episode “just to unwind,” and before you know it…the dream project you were gonna finish? Still sittin’ in the corner, lookin’ at you with judgmental side-eye. Because happiness, real happiness, comes from flourishing. And flourishing doesn’t usually come with a laugh track or three commercial breaks unless you’re a comedian or an actress. 

Distraction is the sneakiest drug there is. It numbs the ache but steals the meaning. Too much of it, and the side effects are brutal: laziness, despair, self-loathing — all the symptoms of a soul that’s been benched. 

So this is my little reminder (to myself, mostly): happiness doesn’t need a subscription. It doesn’t come from drama or perfection or the next season of anything. It’s made the old-fashioned way: from character, courage, and the stubborn choice to bloom where you’ve been battered by nature, by work, by that own voice in your head cussing you out for a mistake or two, or 2,543!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a show to turn off and a life to get back to, but I will for sure check in with you after the Great British Bakeoff. Because that’s one show that so far, is not only a balm, but the message in it is: Aim for excellence. Learn from your failures. And have a few laughs (a-lot of laughs) along the way. 

Real life, unfortunately doesn’t come with a pause button (yet, don’t give our tech overlords any ideas!) but it does come with purpose, if you’re brave enough to press play on yourself!