While it seems Jay Z and Beyonce are crazy in love, Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick are over. Miley Cyrus is reportedly “too skinny” and George Clooney may have baby fever. In other news most likely unrelated to your life, Taylor Swift and boyfriend Calvin Harris just made Forbes top earning celebrity couple.

You can’t turn on the television, scroll through FaceBook or browse the magazine section of a store without being bombarded by celebrity news.

While it seems that shameless self-promotion and the desire to be in the spotlight keeps certain names in the headlines, it’s our cultural obsession that drives this billion dollar industry.

Technology has made it is easier than ever to peek into famous lives. Forget the paparazzi: celebs are sharing pictures of their homes, kids, meals and workouts at a rate faster than you can say “Snapchat”! You probably know a lot more than you should about certain individuals you’ve never even met. And while an issue of US Magazine or an episode of the Real Housewives on Bravo aren’t inherently “bad,” the hype of luxurious lifestyles and the drama of reality TV can be as addictive as a drug for some people.

Doing anything to excess can be a way of avoiding something in your own life. @terri_cole
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The need to check in on Kim K, a favorite YouTuber or a fellow Instagrammer obsessively, is time and energy taken away from your life and given to someone else’s with very little return. Your life is unique and precious. Spending time focused on or talking about famous people’s lives might just be doing your own a disservice.

A fulfilling and successful life requires your engagement and attention. I know you have dreams and goals. Ask yourself this: is spending a lot of time in the non-reality of reality TV helping you accomplish them? Unless you’re using a celeb’s tweets, posts and pics for inspiration to create greatness in your own life, then being overly invested in who is or isn’t dating whom, the best and worst bikini bods or a day in the life of Justin Bieber, isn’t going to help you.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good mindless hour reading People magazine while getting a mani/pedi as much as the next person. I am not talking about the occasional indulgence.

If you’re feeling a bit of a twinge while you read this, like what I am saying may be true for you, then I’d encourage you to consider choosing differently.

Instead of spending a few hours watching E!, Bravo or binging on Orange is the New Black, think about what you could be doing to add value to your own life? Rather than spending time scrolling on social media, what is one action you could take today or tomorrow that would make you feel really good? Also consider questioning what you may be avoiding by focusing outward instead of within.

It is easy to get sucked into the black hole of social media, so in addition to being cognizant of what you pay attention to, honestly keeping track of the time you spend on social media and in front of the TV can be an eye-opening exercise and a catalyst for change. I encourage you to spend time reading, exercising, cooking healthy meals or doing anything else that feels nourishing to your soul. Keep your own life at the top of your priority list.

What you do is important, and if you’re going to obsess about anyone and anything, choose you and making your life and your relationships the best they can be.

Today and every day, as always, take care of you.

Love Love Love,

Terri

Terri Cole is a licensed psychotherapist, transformation coach, and an expert at turning fear into freedom. Sign up for Terri’s weekly Tune Up Tips and follow her on Twitter.

Image courtesy of Anthony Easton.