turn it off

It's a bit depressing when I think of the hours that I have wasted watching tv. Don't get me wrong. I do watch some tv. But what I don't do anymore is sit flicking between stations not finding anything that I want to watch. If I don't find a show that I like I turn off the tv and do something else. Sure, there are lots of series that people enjoy watching. There is SOME good tv out there. But I don't need to watch it all. My life isn't less full or enjoyable because I'm not in on the "it" shows. I also don't feel the need to watch the news everyday. I can't even say that I watch the news once a week. I realize that this can be a hard one for people. We want to stay informed with what is happening in the world. We want to be able to participate in conversations about current issues and have some knowledge of the world around us. We don't want to seem ignorant. But again, I am not losing out by missing the horrifying and shocking news topics that get covered day after day. Does it really add value to your life? Are you more happy because you sat and watched the news? Did it strengthen your personal relationships? Did it make you more creative? Did it help you make more healthy choices?
I think the key for me is having an alternative. There needs to be something that I would rather be doing. Something creative. Something that makes me happy and adds to my life and my family's life. I am thrilled that at this stage of my life I have so many other things that I WOULD rather be doing than watching tv. I hope you find yours.