I didn’t used to be such a TV binger but I’ve recently started letting go of the guilt I had from zoning out and enjoying someone entertain me from the comfort of my couch. In the last few months I’ve discovered 2 shows that have felt like giant hugs. They are both entertaining and teaching me things about life. I swear there’s something mindful about them. 

1. “Shine On with Reese”

Netflix kept suggesting this one and while I’m often embarrassed at how much I like the shows they suggest for me, this one is an exception—no embarrassment here. 

The first time I watched this show I told my partner, 

“Reese Witherspoon made a show just for me!” 

Reese takes you on visits to her friends’ homes and offices and informally chats with them about being a woman, their work, their approach to failure, motherhood, being in relationships, and more. Part of what’s so wonderful is seeing someone as famous as Reese (and her accomplished friends) be so down-to-earth, nervous, vulnerable and emotional. It doesn’t feel staged; it feels like there happens to be a camera in her hangout with her friends. It’s so good.

2. “Great British Baking Show”

This is not a well-kept secret. This show is loved by almost everyone I know. I recently started inventorying the amazing lessons I’ve learned through it. One that I’ll highlight here is that I think there is something very special about the show’s method for selecting ‘Star Baker,’ the weekly award given to the best baker of the week. I love that they (almost always) assess each baker’s performance for that week only. There is no consideration for the bakers’ history or reputation. They get to start over each week and be judged on what they produce right then and there. 

This is so refreshing to me because I think our careers and the work we produce has always emphasized the need to establish a strong reputation for quality and reliability and a whole list of other attributes that are impossible to maintain all the time. It makes me wonder what we would try to do if we knew that not everything was going to be associated with our precious reputations for being the best.

Which are your binge-worthy shows that feel like hugs and what are you learning from them?