Chilling without Netflix: Three Weeks in and I'm not Dead yet

If you receive my weekly newsletter you heard my big news. 

I’m a resolution and goal maker because I think it’s important when a season changes or a month passes for us to look back on our lives and ask if we are a better version of ourselves. Are we living wholly, holy, and fully? Are we cheating moments and our best selves? Have we lost sight on Him who is Highest. 

So I made a big resolution.

I decided to read more books than my sweet Brett this year. He’s more than an avid reader— he inhales a book or two before his morning coffee. And I, a mere mortal with big dreams and Revlon Eye-liner have decided to go up against him. 

So Netflix and Hulu have been turned off until May so I can work this book-reading competition like a Girl Boss. 

Three weeks in: As a creative entrepreneur it’s harder than you’d think to turn off those outlets. I broke down and watched the first episode of The Bachelor because- TWINS?! But then I reprimanded myself and looked up all the good secrets online. :)

BUT, I’ve enjoyed it so much as hard as it’s been. As a creative, it’s really easy to “Netflix and create”. Edit those pictures and Netflix. Create designs and Hulu. It fills time that can often be quiet or mundane, but I’ve found binging really KEEPS me from being productive or being in touch with myself. I’ve already been doing this for three weeks, and I’ve been more productive this month than maybe 3–4 months of 2015. Not just productive, but life feels slower, deeper, and more intentional.

But you’ll never hear me dis on Netflix or Hulu. I just don’t think the binging is for me. This Golden Era of TV has been incredible to watch. There are TV series' being made that are impactful, real, exposing of humanity, hilarious, and just, crazy beautiful. I am grateful for the characters I’ve fallen for or admired (there’s a post coming on how much I love Leslie Knope, soon)

I don’t think this post would be complete without me listing out every show I watched this past year, my eyes were HUGE when I finished making my list… I’m partly proud and partly ashamed— you can judge me however you desire. Please don't tell me you watched more shows than me, because then I'll judge you. Yup, I will. 

Shows I watched in 2015:

• Downton Abbey- Season 5
• Video Game High School- Season 1-3 (watched through twice)
• Once Upon a Time (Seasons 1-5)
• The Mindy Project (Seasons 1, 3, 4)
• New Girl- (Season 4)
• Modern Family- Season 6
• Arrow- Seasons 2-4
• The Flash- Seasons 1, 2
• Kimmy Schmidt- Season 1
• Chuck- Season 1(we usually watch all the Chuck Seasons every year because we are crazy fan girls)
• Fixer Upper- Season 1
• American Ninja Warrior- Season 6
• Master of none- Season 1
• Drop Dead Diva (Seasons 1-5 BUT I SHOULD HAVE STOPPED ON SEASON 2 WHAT WERE THE WRITERS OF THAT SHOW THINKING?! I deserve an award for sticking around that long)
• Gilmore Girls -Seasons 1-7
• Quantico- Season 1
• iZombie- Season 1, 2
• Parks and Rec- Seasons 1-7
• Portlandia- Season 5
• Arrested Development- Seasons 1-3 (Anyone else not able to make it through season 4? Like, mentally I just couldn’t do it)
• Sherlock- Seasons 1-3