Boredom

Being raised in a military family, we moved often. I remember sitting on the porch as a young teen and watching the movers unload the last boxes from the moving van. I felt this strange feeling that I could not identify and could not shake.

The next day the feeling lingered, so I went outside and watched the leaves on a nearby branch, which seemed to have an unnatural stillness. After exhausting my technique to reset my emotional clock by appreciating nature, I thought, I hope we don’t stay here long. That is where my memories of that moment come to an end. However, I now know that what I was experiencing was boredom.

Boredom is a multi-dimensional, complex feeling fueled by thoughts. It is a feeling that sometimes feels relaxed, tired, cheerful, indifferent, indecisive, restless, reactive, or surprisingly numb.

In contrast, my three-year-old grandson is never bored. As he moves effortlessly from one activity to the next, boredom is merely a precursor to his next cycle of creativity. He is in constant motion. Watching him play helps me remember when I could become immune to boredom via curiosity.

Somewhere between early childhood and young adulthood, I stopped seeing boredom as an opportunity to listen, hear, discover, learn, feel and be.  Somehow, I began pushing against it and using it as an excuse to escape.  

Playing with my Grandson, I have rediscovered utilizing curiosity to create something creative and unique.  By being present, life places me in touch with what I like and don't like, which gives me more authority and influence over it. 

I encourage you to let the feeling of Boredom be a signal that lets you know when you are doing something in a way that doesn't satisfy you. Let it inform you that you may not be fully present or engaged in meaningful work. Then, rather than choosing to escape through busyness, take a moment and ask yourself what you can do NOW to bring yourself to a fuller awareness.