Things We Can Learn From My Favorite Reality Show

A short time ago, I wrote about my reality television habit. If you read “My Cheesy TV Obsession,” you already know that I can’t get enough of shows that take me out of my head and the thoughts that can keep me up at night. 

This week, I would like to focus on my favorite reality television show du jour. It is one that I connect with because of my love of sailing, the ocean, the fresh salt air, and sunshine. 

Have you had a chance to check out any of the “Below Deck” reality show series lately? I don’t think I’m the only one! I’ve had many conversations about this show with people I didn’t expect to enjoy it along with me. And it seems like a show that appeals to many different ages of people.

There are so many Below Deck shows! There’s the original Below Deck series. But there’s also a few spinoffs such as Below Deck Down Under, Sailing Yacht, Mediterranean, and Adventure. I haven’t watched all of these yet but give me time…..I will!

Most of the cast of Below Deck seem to fall in their 20’s and 30’s so while I don’t connect to them at the moment (I am a graying 46-year-old), watching these people work and interact brings me back to my youth. As a young 20-something, I never sailed the world as a stewardess, chef, or deckhand. But, my first job out of college was as the director of a sailing program at a yacht club in Los Angeles, California. I had plenty of time around “yachties,” as they call them on the show. However, not many of them looked as good as they do on the Below Deck series! Another bonus to regularly binge-watching this show on Hulu.

Anyway….I digress…..

Other than watching beautiful people explore gorgeous places on amazing yachts, this show has me captivated. I can’t help thinking about the lessons that lay-people like you and I can learn from watching these hunky characters, episode after episode. So I’ve come up with a list you may appreciate: 

5 WAYS TO LIVE YOUR LIFE LIKE A BELOW DECK CAST MEMBER:

1.) MAKE ROOM IN YOUR LIFE FOR THOSE MAKE YOU HAPPY (and get rid of the rest):

There are people in our lives that help us out and make us better humans. We get along with them, they make us happy, and we show mutual respect for each other. It is our job to decide who we would like to spend time with and who we would rather not.

A good crew on Below Deck works the same way! They work together as a team so they look good in front of the guests, resulting in excellent tips. They get along with each other, make each other laugh, and are respectful of the different jobs that need to get done aboard the super yacht they’re working on. 

It is the captain’s job to keep everyone in order, making sure that the teamwork is seamless. Are one of the crew members getting complacent? Being disrespectful? Breaking a rule? No problem! The captain very matter-of-factly says, “You can pack your things and go.” Crew members are easily replaceable. Usually within an episode or two, the audience gets to see another good looking crew member take the place of the ones that just don’t work well aboard the ship.

Can you imagine if we all did that? Is an acquaintance being disrespectful? Are they not understanding of your feelings? Do they stress you out more than they make you feel good? They can pack their things and go. You have other people in your life that deserve your time and energy!

2.) BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT:

I really enjoy how assertive and upfront the captain of a superyacht can be on Below Deck. He/she takes the opportunity on the first day before a charter begins to clearly state the expectations of working aboard their ship. Throughout the season, the captain has no problem telling someone if their work isn’t up to snuff. 

  Occasionally something may not meet the captain’s expectations. Perhaps a crew member is not answering immediately when they are called on the radio. What does the captain do? They immediately hunt the crew member down and in a calm but firm voice, tell them that this is unacceptable. Does the crew member make excuses or resist? If so, the captain will gather everyone together and test all the radios in every corner of the ship to be sure their point is well-taken. Calmly and firmly they will restate their expectations around responding to radio calls.  

Can you imagine if we did this with our teenage kids about responding to our texts? Those of you that have a teenager know that sometimes they don’t respond when you want to know where they are, when they’ll be home, or remind them about something. That’s the whole reason why we give them these handheld computers in the first place isn’t it? If we were as clear about expectations and rules with our crew at home as the captain is with his crew aboard his ship, there wouldn’t be any room for excuses. I am going to work on channeling my inner captain the next time I need to discipline my kiddos. I will be clear and to the point.

Another thing I look forward to while watching Below Deck is the episode before each charter where the captain sits down with the chef, head stewardess, and bosun to review “preference sheets” These are detailed forms that guests complete before a charter to share personal information on preferences related to food, liquor, or any medical needs for the crew to know before they come on board. The preference sheet also gives guests the opportunity to share what they would like to see happen during their stay aboard the yacht. 

Wouldn’t it be nice if we all walked around with preference sheets? That might not be feasible, but it is OK to tell someone when you do or don’t like something. It is also OK to share your expectations! I think expressing these wants, likes, and needs with others would make life a lot easier and avoid disappointment and confrontation more often!

3.) PLAY! PLAY! PLAY!

The cast members of Below Deck work hard. They cook, clean, and provide entertainment constantly for the guests they are serving. When the guests aren’t enjoying a 12-course themed meal, you can find them playing aboard the ship. The deck crew has tons of toys around and the guests don’t ever seem to be afraid of playing with them! They enjoy giant blow-up water slides, rope swings, floaties, games…..you name it! The crew does everything they can to make sure the guests are entertained and the guests seem to really enjoy every minute of their time away from reality.

The crew does the same thing when the guests aren’t on board! When they’re not working, they make the best of their downtime, too! They eat like royalty at gorgeous restaurants, they party hard, they dance, they swim, and they seem to make out with each other quite a bit! 

What do you do in your downtime? I can often be found catching up on laundry or planning the next meal…..boring and not fun at all!  I’d really like to be reading a book or going out to dinner. But I don’t often think of the value in making the most of my downtime through play! When was the last time I went down a slide, played a game, ate like royalty, or danced (when it wasn’t a wedding)? I could use a little fun like that in my life. And there’s nothing wrong with spending downtime doing a little kissing (wink, wink)! The crew of Below Deck certainly works hard and plays hard. I think I might need to take a page out of that book!

4.) TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL

No….we don’t often see the cast of Below Deck with their children or families. But we do see the head crew members training their teams like an adult may teach a child. When a new crew assembles, the Bosun and the Head Stewardess spend quite a bit of time guiding their crew through the different daily tasks expected of them. The Head Stewardess shows the Junior Stews how to make a bed, clean the bathroom, serve the guests, squeeze the fresh citrus fruits, work with the chef, and more! The Bosun shows their deckhands how to swab the deck, tie knots, dock the boat, and communicate with the captain while underway. Once this is done, the yacht runs like a well-oiled machine.

Can we do the same thing with our families at home? Absolutely! We can teach our kids how to do the laundry, fold it, and put it away. We can show them how to make simple meals and clean up afterwards. We can instruct them how to run a lawn mower and rake the leaves. These things are life skills that our children will need them more than most skills they learn in school! Believe it or not, many kids these days aren’t getting these basic lessons! Spending the time to show our children how to do thsee things will help our houses run smoothly abd our children will be truly ready to take care of themselves, their home, and others when they leave the nest!

5.) LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!

This is my favorite thing to learn from the cast members of Below Deck! While there is always drama aboard the superyacht and this is fun to watch, there is also a lot of love going around! Crew members fall for each other. We watch them court each other and go on dates. Sometimes, if we are lucky, we watch them get caught in love triangles. 

The crew is always willing and ready to support guests that are feeling the love, too! They often help guests that would like to propose to their partner or want to celebrate an anniversary. They also help the guests celebrate by preparing a special party to mark the occasion. One of my favorite episodes featured a group of gay friends that wanted to celebrate with a Pride Party. The crew went all out with this one and everyone seemed to have a good time. When their charter was over, as the guests were handing the crew their tip, they expressed how wonderful it was to feel accepted aboard the boat. The crew always seems to understand and celebrate love in all its forms. How great would the world be if everyone did that?

So yes….these are the things I think about when I’m watching my cheesy reality television like Below Deck. I’m not just zoning out like a drooling zombie. I am learning from these beautiful cast members and thinking about how I can live a more fun, carefree, and fulfilled life. 

So next time you are indulging in something a little chessy, relishing in the drama, and enjoying the beauty of the offering, ask yourself….what can I learn from this? It’ll make the time you’re spending on it much more valuable!