13 Year Old Me Never Thought I’d Say It, But I Need More Boredom In My Life
Things I didn’t know I needed happen in the bored spaces in my life.
It appears that my schedule, no matter the time of year, is weirdly full. I’m willing to bet that yours is too. We live in an era where being “bored” simply is not an option.
Have a minute in line at the grocery store? Fill it by scrolling through good ole’ Instagram.
Stuck in a crowded waiting room? Listen to a podcast.
And when we get home from a long day at work, we fill our time with endless scrolling (I know I’ve done it).
We escape the boredom, my friend. We fill the gaps of our lives with whatever fits in the cracks.
Yet, at the end of the day, we become curious as to why the heck we are so overwhelmed and under-fueled.
MMMM, I’m so very guilty of picking up the phone during every free second. However, as many of us have realized, this stops us from being fully present and fills our minds with constant comparison and worry, even in the silent moments. Though comparison is the actual worst, there are still deeper problems arising from the no-boredom-era in which we live. In my opinion, this boredom has the power to interrupt our creativity.
I honestly believe that my future children will have no idea what it’s like to actually have “nothing to do” and this makes me fearful.
Why? Glad ya’ asked.
Boredom fuels the imagination. As a wee little child, I was thrilled at the idea of Summer. Summer was when the little forts came out in the living room, the water games were played in the pool, and the running around was in full throttle. This was a season filled to the brim with all things imagination. With school being out and more time to be “bored,” we were forced to be creative. This wasn’t the type of imagination that would then be shared with 500 of my closest friends on Facebook, but the type that would live deep in my soul with my most favorite of memories.
I’m not sure where you’re at, but I am willing to bet that you, like me, have forgotten how it feels to create for the sake of creating. I firmly believe that this creating can stem from the moments that we are feeling bored out of our minds.
AND DANG, let’s steal that back. Nothing is saying we aren’t allowed to have the silence. Nothing is saying we shouldn’t take the time out of our day to have space.
No matter what stage of life you are in today, I hope you take a second to fill the nooks and crannies of your day with “boredom” and silence. Let those moment fuel the imagination that brings a whole lot of quality memories.
