Why you need a guilty pleasure

The definition of a guilty pleasure is something that one enjoys despite the feeling that it is not generally held in high regard. But it can really mean anything to anyone. What one person thinks is the smartest show to watch can seem ridiculous to someone else. Though, isn't that what is great about the world. Everyone has the right to like or make whatever they want and whatever brings you joy. Whatever it is that you enjoy there is a community out there in the world for that, or mostly anything, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone.

I think the one thing that most people define as a guilty pleasure is something that you might not want to share with other people. Something that you might on some level be ashamed of. So you keep it a secret, thinking that you most likely will be made fun of if you tell anyone the truth. Most of the time though, if you tell someone you may be surprised by the fact that maybe someone else is watching the same thing as you. I think that the one thing that we all can agree on is that, when you had the craziest day when things don't make sense that you just want to come home to some peace. The difference is that what means peace is different for every person. For one person it might mean something that is just happiness, or something that makes you think better or something that lets you not think at all.

I think that we all need an outlet, we all need something that we can put on that just makes us feel better and brings us joy. I think it's important. Not just for our sanity, but for ourselves. For our mind, our soul, our spirit and our joy. We now find ourselves in a tough world, a world unlike anything else we ever thought we would see. If you don't have something that brings you joy, something that brings you happiness, the world can be a mean and crazy place. I think that it is easy to go into the darkness, the darkness that can be the world. Especially now with the pandemic. More and more people are in some form of a depression with the loose of so many things. Maybe you lost some people this year, lost a job, lost a partnership, or maybe you just miss the connection. Many of us have spent this year at home, maybe alone, and without a lot of connection with many other people. We all see now how much we need connection, need stimulation. When you spend a day alone at home or maybe working from home not really speaking to anyone, there is something joyful about putting on something that gives you a pleasure and getting lost.

My guilty pleasure used to be reality TV. A thing that I use to not tell anyone else. Of course not wanting to admit the stupid reality shows that I would watch that were pointless and mindless. But it would bring me joy. This year has been hard. And I have now found great joy in rom coms. Of course, most of them are from the joy of the 90s when rom coms were at their peak. There is just something comforting about watching a show that doesn't really teach you anything, but you know that you can watch it and there will be a happily ever after. In a crazy world that we are in, I think we all just need to believe that everything will be okay and that there can still be a happily ever after in the world.

I even find that my daughter, who is only 4 has her own guilty pleasures. Though of course she doesn't realize that she is doing it. She watches people playing with toys basically, they make them talk. If you have never watched it, they are some of the stupidest shows out there. But they bring her joy, and she loves watching them. She could watch them for hours even.

No matter how old you are we all need something that brings us joy and happiness. Something that you consider a guilty pleasure, no matter what means to you. And you shouldn't be ashamed of it. Don't be ashamed to share it with people. And people shouldn't judge you for you. We should all be open about who we are, for all that we are. If you don't have a community that accepts you for all that you are, then find one. We all need that kind of community that accepts you in the good and the bad. So no matter where you are in life or how you are, find something that just brings you joy and happiness.

Thank you so much for reading. If no one has told you today, you are enough, and you are appreciated for just how you are.

- T