In today's high-stress world, we all need to find a way to let off a little steam. Whether it be via an adventurous vacation, a night out with the girls or hot yoga on the weekends, finding a little time to decompress helps to keep a person sane and ready to face another day. How you choose to unwind is a very personal decision since not everything works for everyone.
Over the years, I've experimented with a variety of ways to unwind, everything from exercise to crossword puzzles to kniting, but there's nothing that turns my active, stressed-out brain to the "off" position like my true guilty pleasure: trashy novels. At the end of a long day, it's like a rich dessert for my soul: no nutritional value but sinfully delicious.
It all started with the Twilight series and last year's New York Times best-selling guilty pleasure, Fifty Shades of Grey. Until then, I thought all books had to be meaningful and Oprah-worthy. Suddenly, I was discovering the joy of reading novels that didn't require any deep thinking or intellectual investment and enjoying the temporary mental vacation they gave me.
I soon went down the rabbit hole of guilty pleasure reading, filling my Kindle with titles that sound too ridiculous and embarrassing to say out loud -- and enjoying them thoroughly. Do I feel guilty reading such escapist trash? Maybe just the teensiest bit. Sure, I could use that hour or two an evening to catch up on world events, learn a new skill, get some exercise or organize my closet, but the relaxation and "time out" it provides me is far more beneficial to my well-being than any of those things. Don't judge!
Four friends. Four hearts. 13 weeks of seduction. Based on the hit UK television series of the same name, "Mistresses" is a provocative and thrilling drama about the scandalous lives of a sexy and sassy group of four girlfriends, each on her own path to self-discovery. These four friends find support and guidance with each other as they brave their turbulent journeys and life's storms of excitement, secrecy and betrayal, all the while bound by the complex relationships they've created. "Mistresses" stars Alyssa Milano, Yunjin Kim, Rochelle Aytes and Jes Macallan. Don't miss the series premiere Monday, June 3rd at 10|9c on ABC after an all-new "The Bachelorette."