Reclaiming Your Time, Energy, and Attention | Ep. 018

Why I Canceled My Streaming Subscriptions (And Why I Haven't Looked Back)

A little over a year ago, I made a decision that felt surprisingly intimidating: I canceled all of my streaming subscriptions.

At first, it wasn't about saving money. It was about asking a bigger question: How am I spending my time, energy, and attention?

Like so many people, I had gotten into the habit of turning on a show whenever I had free time. It filled the moments when I didn't know what else to do. Streaming had become less about watching something I genuinely loved and more about filling space.

The Hidden Cost of Streaming Services

Once I stepped away from streaming, I realized just how much of my life had been built around consuming content.

One of the biggest surprises was how much time I had spent simply looking for something to watch. Endless scrolling, half-hearted recommendations, and settling for "good enough" had quietly become normal. Instead of feeling entertained, I often finished a night of streaming feeling tired, disconnected, and strangely dissatisfied.

What Happened After I Stopped Watching So Much TV

Without streaming, I found myself returning to things I had forgotten I enjoyed.

I started reading more books. I spent more time listening to music intentionally instead of letting it fade into the background. I worked on creative projects, took walks, visited my local library, and even rediscovered the joy of renting physical movies. Rather than feeling like I had given something up, it felt like I had made room for my life again.

How Television Shapes Our Thinking

The experience also made me think differently about the media we consume.

When I revisited some of the movies and television shows I loved growing up, I began noticing the subtle messages they carried about relationships, success, consumerism, and even what love is supposed to look like. So much of what we accept as "normal" is learned through repetition, often without us realizing it.

That doesn't mean television is inherently bad. I've loved movies for most of my life, and I still enjoy watching them. But I've become much more intentional about what I watch and why I'm watching it.

Reclaiming Your Time, Energy, and Attention

Perhaps the biggest lesson was recognizing how often I had been using television to avoid discomfort. Instead of sitting with my thoughts, connecting with loved ones, or simply resting, I reached for a screen. It wasn't just entertainment—it was distraction.

Stepping away from streaming gave me the opportunity to reconnect with myself. I discovered that doing "nothing" wasn't actually nothing at all. Sometimes sitting quietly, listening to music, reading a novel, or having an uninterrupted conversation offers far more nourishment than another episode of a show I won't remember next week.

If you've ever wondered whether it's worth canceling your streaming subscriptions, I encourage you to try it…even if it's just for a month. You might be surprised by what comes back into your life when endless content is no longer competing for your attention.

Our time, energy, and attention are some of the most valuable resources we have. Being intentional about where we invest them may be one of the simplest ways to create a richer, more connected, and more creative life.

Timestamps:
00:00 The decision to opt out of streaming services
03:20 Childhood connections
06:07 Subscription addiction
10:15 The impact of switching away
15:13 Are streaming services even worth it anyways?
20:44 Binge watching
31:08 Looking at childhood movies in a new light
41:23 Screens mesmerize us
48:49 TV eats up our lives
56:48 What has this taught me?

Dive deeper: Are you ready to take the plunge? We’re here for you! We’re launching our decentralized DVD lending library to support you in canceling your streaming subscriptions. See the highlight on our Instagram for available titles. There is no cost to participate.

Stay connected: @newhumansfornewearth on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok & Facebook. newhumansfornewearth.com.

Intro & Outro Music: Take off (feat. Emily Dukes) (Instrumental) by Pastek

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