The Lesson I’ve Learned from the Real Housewives

Yeah, you heard me right. Those table-flipping, $25,000-sunglasses-wearing, bizarre-catwalking ladies have actually taught me something. I swear.

Let’s just go with full disclosure and say right here and now that I’m a fan of the Real Housewives shows, but really only Orange County and Beverly Hills. The rest of the franchise is just too much (literally and figuratively) to keep up with, so I choose my battles. After we dropped cable a few years back I had a bit of a hiatus, but I’ve since caught up on all the seasons that I missed. And even though sometimes I’m watching in shock with my hands literally covering my eyes because I’m not sure how grown women can act this way (I’m looking at you, Vicki Gunvalson), I’m still endlessly fascinated. And here’s why.

I’ve always been a peace keeper, and I’ve always shied away from conflict. So much so that it’s stifled me from even expressing my opinion or speaking the truth about the things that I have felt or experienced. I’ve always, always put the needs of everyone around me before my own, with friends, family, coworkers, and more. Every year one of my goals is to more clearly express my thoughts and feelings. (Evidence here.) All in all, it’s just often a huge challenge for me to express how I really feel, because I don’t want to risk offending someone, causing conflict, or -GASP- causing someone to not like me.

But these housewives? I think you could safely say they’re on the dead opposite end of that spectrum. They practically can’t wait to have their say and voice their opinions. And while I completely disagree at times with how aggressive it is (and the way that it’s often staged), I find it so incredibly fascinating that they are so willing to put themselves out there and say exactly what they mean and how they feel. (Consequences be damned, haha!)

Now, none of this is to say that I’m a changed woman and now I walk around flipping tables and spouting my opinion. But it is to say that I have learned from these wild women that there is so much value in saying what you mean, speaking your mind, and being openly passionate about the things you believe in. No way have I magically become an expert at expressing myself – ha! Lifelong habits are hard to change. But I absolutely am working toward change in that respect, and I’m not kidding when I say that this whole thing is a lightning bolt that hit me when I was watching an episode of Beverly Hills. (Cringe. #guiltypleasures.)

Well, now that I’ve bared my soul, be honest. Do you watch the housewives? And am I totally crazy here that there’s a deeper lesson to learn from them? Hit me with a comment and let me know your thoughts. Now brb, I have to hop on a jet to Dubai. 😉 xoxo