Confessions of a 'Real Housewives' Binge Watcher

source: www.huffingtonpost.com 

Okay, okay, guilty as charged… I am here to officially admit my recent addiction to the TV show, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Yes, I have completely bought in to what most refer to as “trash television” or “pointless drama.” And I’m not here to disagree.. I can’t say that my hours spent watching the show were the most challenging educationally or that I really learned something new in the short-term. However, after finishing all of the seasons on Hulu+, I have decided to reflect back on what I did get out of my binge watching time.

While the ladies of the show certainly didn’t have any financial strain, they did overcome many obstacles that I think we can all take a lesson or two from. In some regards, they did actually work. Whether they worked in their own business, worked to fix relationships or worked to overcome addiction, they all took us on a journey through life – with maybe a few more diamonds and rosé than we are used to.

Stick up for your friends: There are countless times on the show when conversations will come up about one of the ladies and they will not speak kindly of her. The show also shows one-on-one interviews where the girls will speak their true opinions of each other. It is important to seek out friendships where you will both stick up for each other in times such as these. Surround yourself with people who appreciate you, support you and want the best for you. There are a few times when the Housewives give us a glimmer of hope and succeed in showing us they can stick up for their friends.

Don’t hold grudges: Yes, people make mistakes. Forgive and forget, especially in a group setting. Holding grudges and bring up past arguments can really throw a wrench in the group dynamic. Not to mention, life is short and we need all the friends we can get. The Housewives have a hard time doing so. Many times they will resolve an argument only for it to be brought up again in the next episode. Do yourself a favor, free yourself from the hurt and stress of a frenemy – forgive and actually forget.

Support your friends in their endeavors: The Housewives are actually pretty good at this. They go to charity events, restaurant openings, store openings and more on behalf of their friends. The girls are great about getting together to celebrate their friends’ successes. Maybe its just because they enjoy the social scene, but it does remind us that friendships are two-sided. Support your friends and they will do the same for you.

Friendship takes work: Without a doubt, the Housewives succeed at reminding us that friendships aren't made of stone. They are breakable, changeable and require effort on both parts every single day. Arguments and misunderstandings happen, we must all work to overcome these friendship hurdles. However, they also remind us of the gift of friendship. Everyone needs that support system, shopping buddy or just someone to call when the going gets tough. Having those people in your life make the journey worth it.