10 Reasons You Should Cancel Your Cable TV Today

If you’re a child of the 80’s or 90’s, it’s very likely that you grew up in a household with cable TV. It seemed like EVERYONE had cable. There has been a subtle shift over the years in the realm of television and it would seem that cable is no longer king, and even satellite seems well on it’s way to being dethroned.
 
More people are asking, Is there a benefit to ditching cable and its 300+ channels? We say YES! And after reading this list, you may agree that there really isn’t anything glamorous about TV at all.
 
Here are 10 reasons to ditch your cable TV:
 

1. Cha-Ching!

First and most obviously, IT’S EXPENSIVE! The average cable bill runs from $70-$100 a month. That’s a monthly fee at your favorite yoga studio, an annual pass to more than 2000 National Parks, concert tickets, or a good old fashioned savings of over $1000 a year! Sounds like a start to that yoga retreat you’ve had your heart set on . . .
 

2. It’s pointless filler

You know how chicken nuggets are mostly comprised of disgusting filler food, completely lacking nutrients and doing nothing good for your body? Think of cable TV as that same pointless filler. Most cable or satellite packages today boast an offering of over 300 channels . . . and about 280 of them are filler.
 
Infomercials, reruns, and mind-numbing programing, all lacking sustenance and not doing anything good for your mind. Have a favorite show? Netflix it!!
 

3. You’re the target for consumerism

Shows are actually secondary to the advertising, as far as the networks are concerned. Networks and writers aim to produce shows that draw the biggest viewership. Why? Because the more viewers they have, the more they can charge for advertising spots, and thus continues the downward spiral of excessive materialism.
 
It’s ridiculous to spend 8-12 minutes of a 30 minute TV show being told you’re not good enough but that a product will make you better. No car, beverage or erectile dysfunction drug is going to make you better. You are good enough, and you are enough.
 

4. There are better ways to spend your time

The day is over, dishes are done, kids are asleep, emails are answered – the couch is calling and it feels so good to put your feet up, relax and turn on the TV. I get it! Unfortunately, what usually happens is that you end up mindlessly clicking through channels and suddenly, 4 hours later, your night is gone and you probably should have been asleep an hour ago.
 

Don’t just watch other people do what you love – go do what you love

5. You’ve got options

There are SO many other options for screen entertainment! I enjoy my favorite series on Netflix as much as anyone and because of that, I haven’t missed cable in over 8 years – AT ALL! For about $10 a month, you can stream Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu . . . take your pick. Beware the binge watching though – it’s still a risk!
 

6. Your mind needs quiet space

Literally, a quiet mind is necessary for mental health, hence all the talk about mindfulness, yoga, and meditation. Life has become increasingly noisy. A constant buzz, chatter, social feed, you name it . . . it’s there. Mahatma Ghandi said, “Speak only if it improves upon the silence.” I think we can apply that rule to TV as well.
 

7. Escape the fear mongering

Fear is an excellent marketing tool, and cable TV has been using this tactic for decades. TV news is particularly notorious for this, being deemed ‘infotainment” rather than information. Common storylines in popular shows today revolve around murder, sexual violence, manipulation, health crises, and poverty.
 
It doesn’t take a yogi to understand that these storylines are inherently negative and fear-based. Yogis do know, though, that this type of negative imagery perpetuates a low vibration, which is detrimental to you personally and us collectively.
 

8. Live your life!

You can shift your focus to experiencing life firsthand instead of vicariously through the screen. Do you enjoy watching nature shows on the Discovery channel? Awesome! Enjoy them! But actually go be in nature too. Go camping, go kayaking, go climb the impossible mountain.
 
This is just one example, but you get the point. We find certain topics interesting and fascinating because they spark creativity and feed our soul. Don’t just watch other people do what you love – go do what you love!
 

9. Improve your health

Less TV will improve your health, and there are plenty of studies now that support this theory. From interrupting or preventing sleep, to mindless eating and of course decreasing physical activity, sitting down to channel surf DOES impact your health – negatively.
 

10. Stop supporting idiocracy

Stop supporting an industry that doesn’t promote the good of others. Between the negative programming, fear, and marketing to vulnerable desire, the cable industry is not nurturing an enlightened society. There are many things we can collectively do to promote change in our world, and currently one of the loudest ways to be heard is by letting your money talk. Ditch your cable. When people stop supporting industries, industries evolve or dissolve.
 
 
There are ample reasons to give up your cable, reduce your screen time and focus more on the live picture before you. There is absolutely an art and beauty in entertainment – the point is to choose wisely and find a balance. Make decisions that are mindful – not mindless – and support and promote industries that are worthy of being YouAligned™.