IN AN ENTREPRENEURIAL RUT?
5 WAYS TO DEAL WITH THE BOREDOM
Ways to Deal With the Boredom
Article by Cinthia Singleton
Photo Credit: Mariana Garcia
Magazine: Issue #25
Boredom. It happens when life slows down to the point of… flatline … and we find ourselves chomping at the bit for the next thing to impose itself upon us like a gale force wind. But boredom is safe too, doesn’t ask for much, just that we keep to our known, habitual course… and… FLATLINE.
So how then do we get out of that safe and predictable place AND experience our best life AND feel like there’s safety net below us?
1 :: Set your body clock. Do things that take your mind somewhere, i.e. meditate, prepare a meal, walk or play with a pet, garden, journal, nurture others, do a puzzle. Simple activities like these, performed on a schedule, help us feel anchored to Earth.
2 :: Know that expression Use it or lose it? It’s true. Keep busy. If you let the ennui of your bored state settle in, you’re losing the a) ability to accept change as good and 2) capability to spring to action when the Universe dispatches something to knock at your door.
3 :: Boredom SHOULD be a part of our lives so accept its occasional visits but not it. Think of it as your soul’s winter, a time of dormancy when you prepare for planting season; and a temporary, passing state. Helps us rest. ‘Bores’ us into a state of innovation. Also irritates us enough to challenge complacency with the status quo. It’s also an important indicator of a deeper problem, i.e. depression. [ Signs of this are sadness, lack of interest in things that used to thrill, feeling worthless, feeling isolated, etc. Seek professional help if this is you, please. We need you whole! ]
4 :: Don’t bottle it up. I’M BORED. Say it, loud and proud. Just make sure you can shout from those same rooftops how grateful you are; slowing down enough to BE bored is a luxury. Knowing life, it can all change in a New York minute, especially if you’re open to attracting new adventures and opportunities to fill its place.
5 :: Think of ways to knock the dust off yourself. Ever think that the boredom could be that, dust? Take a walk. Go left instead of right. See what’s around that corner that’s familiar or different. Like that coffee shop? Well, go to the other one today.
If you can stand and stretch in your bubble of boredom, no need for Steps 1-5. But it’s not likely. Boredom is self-absorbed and claustrophobic after a time. So enjoy it while you can and get ready to transform that bubble into a cocoon, little butterfly.
“Is life not a thousand times too short for us to bore ourselves?” Friedrich Nietzsche
