I was talking to my friend Shira on the phone last night. Shira and I met at Barnard, and she’s one of those badass ladies who you know is going places. She’s also one of those people who wants you to go places with her. Phone dates with her usually end up being a love fest, praising each other for all the crazy awesome things we’re doing. It’s great. Every once in awhile, you need an outsider to remind you that the stuff you’re doing, that stuff that day-to-day may be driving you crazy, is actually pretty cool.

In the course of conversation, I commented offhand that I had been binge watching a reality TV show to unwind. Shira stopped in her tracks. “What!? You watch reality TV!? With all the things you do, I just never imagined you having time to watch reality TV.”

I have to admit, I’ve definitely felt guilty for taking the time to watch the West Wing or to take a nap in the middle of the afternoon. In the age of social media, when people only post the awesome things, it’s very easy to think you’re the only one taking the time to veg. But Shira’s surprise reminded me that my veg time is important because it’s giving me the energy to be more badass later.

Slice of Life is a daily writing challenge during the month of March hosted by Two Writing Teachers. Visit their blog for more information about the challenge and for advice and ideas about how to participate.