Life Beyond TV

Creating Space for Presence and Purpose

Three years ago, I decided to remove the television from our home — and it’s changed everything. At first, it felt strange. There was a big, open space in my life that I didn’t know what to do with. I’d find myself sitting, restless, realizing how much time I used to fill it with. Sometimes, it even made me feel uncomfortable — bored, unsure of what to do with the extra time and energy that had suddenly become available.

I was raised on television and moved often as a child. A solid foundation wasn’t part of my world, but TV was. Without it, I had time. Time to sit, reflect, and be in stillness. To be with my thoughts, my life, and my home. I became aware of everything that was waiting for my attention: my relationships, my family, the dishes, the laundry, my needs.

As I began to navigate the stillness, I was guided to my Affirm a Flower deck, a little treasure I had found at Goodwill years ago, quietly waiting on my shelf. Only after my awakening did its messages begin to resonate with me — and the card I drew that day validated everything that had been unfolding in that moment:

- Affirm a Flower, FES, Flower Society

Knowing Spirit had led me to this point, I started doing more of what actually mattered. I began tending to my home, my garden, my work, and my body. I focused on creating and being— planning yoga sequences, building my website, connecting with community, meditating, and nurturing my inner and outer work. Daily practice began to create roots of stability.

I began to enjoy life more, and started noticing the details of the world around me in profound ways.

Why I Removed TV

Before I share the ways I now live without TV, I want to highlight a few of the reasons I made this conscious choice — and what led me to step away from it completely. In 2022, I went through a spiritual awakening that shifted my perspective in ways I hadn’t imagined. My third eye (Ajna Chakra) began to open, expanding my awareness and sensitivity to energy, emotion, and intention. One striking change was my relationship with television.

I remember watching a show I had seen countless times before — something I thought I loved — but this time, it hit me differently. I felt everything. The fear, the sadness, the pain, the intensity — all of it, as if it were happening inside me. I couldn’t disconnect from it anymore.

It became impossible to watch television in the same way. Seeing people hurt each other, the violence and the fear, it all felt heavy and real. I began to question what we are truly consuming when we watch TV, and how it shapes our consciousness and energy.

Programming Fears

We often think of consumption in terms of food or resources, but what about energy? The stories we feed on shape our emotions, beliefs, and inner worlds. After that awakening, I began to see how much of television is designed to evoke fear, desire, and attachment — subtly disconnecting us from our own intuition and peace.

It’s not that all TV is “bad.” It’s just that so much of it is built around stimulating the mind rather than nourishing the heart. Fear of the unknown. Fear of lack. Fear of love. Fear of death. Fear. Shows and movies — dramas, game shows, "love" stories, horror films — constantly replay these themes. And often, we don’t even notice how deeply they sink into our subconscious.

Yet, not all media is created equal. There are shows and films that inspire, that spark creativity, problem-solving, and personal growth. Stories that encourage dreaming, learning, and reflection. When consumed mindfully, these can feed the soul and heart. It’s about being intentional with what you allow into your mind and energy, choosing media that is constructive rather than destructive. Here's another affirmation from the Affirm a Flower deck that highlights this idea perfectly.

- Affirm a Flower, FES, Flower Society

Watching lies, pain, fear, and violence repeatedly desensitizes us — not just to what’s on the screen, but to our own humanity. I realized how much I needed to deprogram myself and rewire my thoughts about what was real, and what wasn’t.

My Psychic Awakening and Subconscious Fears

These fears create our psyche, rippling into the world around us. When I started to open up to my psychic abilities, I was terrified. I felt alone, isolated, and like no one knew what I was going through. I didn't know how to stop the messages, who was sharing what, or what to believe. I was afraid of SO MUCH.

As a child, I was made to watch horror movies — and if I didn’t, I was made fun of for being a “chicken.” I remember feeling spirits around me ever since I was young and being very much afraid of the dark. These fears stayed with me well into adulthood — I just never had to face them until now.

Thank goodness my guides were with me and led me to a mediumship development group. There, I learned to decipher what was my own, what was projection, and what was truly from Spirit. I began to create a foundation and feel safe exploring my abilities.

My guides began to send me messages about the fears I carried — and how many of them were connected to judgement, shame, conditioning, and programming.

Spirit's Insight on Fear and Television

Spirit began showing me how deeply fear had woven itself into the fabric of my being. So many of my fears were quietly buried in the subconscious, unprocessed and unseen. They didn’t only show up around the thought of spirits — they surfaced in my relationships, my finances, and my sense of safety in the world.

Our subconscious often can’t distinguish between fiction and reality. The body responds as though the scene or conflict was real, yet there’s no direct experience for the mind to resolve. Without a release, that energy becomes stored, waiting in the subconscious. Over time, these unprocessed fears can ripple into how we relate to love, security, abundance, and even our sense of self-worth. Below are some recurring ways television and film play on our deepest fears and desires.

• The Unknown

Do you believe in Spirits? I do. Can they touch me? Possess me? Can they take over my mind? Haunt me? These were all fears that lived deep in my subconscious, shaped by years of conditioning through story telling and media.

This work taught me so much about trust, boundaries, discernment, and faith that I am safe, deeply loved, and protected by Spirit, the Divine, God, Love. Love is far more powerful than fear.

I began to look at horror through a different lens. While some use horror films as a creative or symbolic way to explore fear and the shadow aspects of humanity, for me, they reinforced my fears in ways I didn't understand yet. So much of what we’re taught to fear — the “undesirable,” the “insane,” the "unknown" — reflects our collective discomfort with what we can’t control or comprehend. Horror films often amplify this, taking what’s wounded and turning it into something to be afraid of, rather than something to be understood. (ie. a person seemingly talking to themselves alone, or an angry face being portrayed as a “monster”)

Spirits are often portrayed as dark or vengeful beings, when so often, they’re our ancestors, guides, or loved ones wanting to share and connect — or are simply misunderstood energies seeking peace or acknowledgment. Through time and practice, I began to see that love, truly, is stronger than fear.

• Love & Romance

Speaking about love — how many romance films have you watched and compared yourself or your relationship to? The stories, expectations, hopes, dreams, desires, lying, cheating, jealousy, envy - it's all there!

Television and movies have created so many ideas around what love “should” look like — grand gestures, constant excitement, dramatic conflict, or picture-perfect endings. But love isn’t always cinematic. It’s not always sparks and passion. It can be ordinary, slow, uncomfortable, and beautifully human. It can be quiet at times, steady, and imperfect, then vibrant the next day — with moments that invite honesty, patience, and space for evolving.

For years, I found myself subconsciously measuring my relationships against what I saw on a screen — setting expectations, instead of embracing what was real. I realized how easy it is to chase an illusion of love rather than cultivate a living, breathing connection.

• Money, Desire & Attachment

Now, lets talk about one of humanity's main influences, money. Television also feeds our relationship with finances — often in ways we don’t even notice. Think of game shows, competition series, "success" stories, and reality programs where the focus is on winning, earning, or proving worth. They subtly teach us that abundance must be won, or that happiness is tied to financial gain, status, and material items.

But true abundance begins with trust — with knowing that life provides what’s needed when we’re aligned and open. It doesn’t mean money isn’t important, but when our worth becomes entangled with it, we lose touch with the deeper meaning of life: presence, connection, purpose, peace.

When I removed TV from my life, I started to see how much of that subtle programming had shaped my beliefs around "making it" in the world. Now, my joy comes from the simplicity of tending to my home, enjoying the present moment, cultivating my heart-centered work, and reconnecting with the natural rhythm of giving and receiving.

If you’re curious about shifting your relationship with money and spirituality, I’ve written more about it in this blog post: 5 Inspiring Spiritual Growth Books that Transformed My Life.

Life Without Television as a Major Influence

Living without TV has become a mindfulness practice in itself — a daily invitation to choose awareness over distraction. It’s not about never watching a movie again, but about becoming conscious of what we invite into our energy and how it shapes the way we see the world. This practice also invites us to be mindful of all content and experiences, not just TV or films, but books, social media, conversations, music, and even the energy we engage with in our environments. There is incredible potential in consuming and creating content from a harmonious place. When you breakdown the word harmonious, harm-on-i-us, it reminds me of a simple truth: our creations and choices shouldn't cause harm, and they invite us to consider both I (ourselves) and us (the collective).

True harmony arises when we consider both our own well-being and the well-being of those around us.

As I hugged this jack-o-lantern, its essence spoke to me and brought up a memory. I was reminded of how terrified I was of Chucky as a small child (you know…the doll). Internally I was so afraid that I thought “loving” him would keep him from coming to get me. I would repeat the mantra, ‘I love Chucky,’ thinking he could hear me. This makes me wonder if our being instinctively tries to transform fear with love.

If you find yourself feeling the desire to use less TV in your life, there are gentle ways to ease into it. One of my favorite practices is Creating a Cozy Container for your Home. Think warm blankets, soft lighting, board games, an art zone, a reading nook, whatever makes you feel comfort, inspiration, and joy.

Be graceful with yourself. If you remove TV all at once, like I did, it's normal to feel uncertain about how to fill that space. Trust that your energy will naturally redirect to what matters most, whether that's creative projects, music, movement, stillness, or yes even housework. Over time, your life will find a new rhythm, and you'll discover joys you may have never noticed when television was a regular presence. And as for the fun and exciting ways that I choose to live without TV… that’s probably another blog post!

If this one spoke to you in anyway, let me know in the comments or tap the like button — I always love hearing how these land with you! 🙏✨

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