The Netflix Cycle: Adding. Watching. Updating. Deleting. Starting Over.

I have a confession to make: I am a Netflix list hoarder. I see things, I read about them, I add them to “My List” and I go on, probably to watch something else. Before you know it, my Netflix list is countless titles long; maybe, once every few months, I watch something from it. I probably watch one title for every five titles I add to the list.

This probably isn’t a big deal for most people. But for me, 2017 is the year to embrace living my chronic life. I finally feel like I’ve accepted that I live a chronic life. That’s fine; it can be great. What a time of healing for me! I recently posted a piece about removing things from my life that didn’t bring me absolute joy.

For the past two weeks or so, my physical health has been an uphill battle. I think I’ve spent more time in my bed the past two weeks than I have my whole life. Granted, I’m using my time wisely. I use it to indulge in my new hobbies. I have been reading, engaging, searching and finding new content. I’ve been learning. I feel like I’ve grown so much as a person within the past two months. But don’t get me wrong; I have a long way to go.

One day, after spending a few days in bed, I was out of YouTube content to watch. I knew I had a long Netflix list, and to my way of thinking, if you’re crossing something off any list, you’ve done something. (I’ll say it again, my spoon friends: If you’re crossing something off any list, you’ve done something! So go ahead, watch those things on your Netflix list, rate and remove them, and don’t feel the least bit guilty about it! You’ve done something!)

But when I was scrolling through my list, I must admit I was bored. I couldn’t find anything I really wanted to watch. I didn’t see anything I had already started and wanted to finish. It was strange, because for some reason I felt that since I had added the shows to my list that I should watch them. Wrong!

I did what I hope you too will do: Delete your Netflix list. Start fresh and challenge your mind. Try to learn something new. Step out of your comfort zone. Watch things you wouldn’t normally watch and add those to your list. But challenge yourself to finish the titles you add to your list or start. And rate your titles. It’s always helpful later

The new year has begun and will continue to be a year for healing and growing. I know it’s changing my content quite a bit, but I’m proud of all of the pieces I’ve been working on this month. I hope at least one person finds them helpful, and I hope you will want to go on this journey with me. We can all heal together.

Note: Cerebral Palsy News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Cerebral Palsy News Today, or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to cerebral palsy.