Embracing Boredom

Embracing Boredom

WORDS BY MARINA SHAPIRO-ELBERT

In our 24/7 culture, being idle or finding yourself “non-doing” is often stigmatized as being lazy or even worse, depressed. We’ve become masters in distracting ourselves from our feelings and our daily anxieties by filling up our schedules and overstimulating our children with activities. We’ve learned to perceive the word “bored” as a signal to fill up a hole, an empty space with noise, distraction or another activity.

When our schedules are not full, we feel guilty and pressured “to do”. There is unspoken competition to see how busy one can be, this frantic impulse to flee from any hint of unfilled time that might lead to actually feeling something. Just think of the last time you picked up your phone, went online, sent a text message, or stuffed something in your mouth when you felt bored, or felt some deeper feelings that emerged when you had a moment of spare time.

While an idle state of mind is neutral, the manner in which we respond to it determines whether it becomes a positive or a negative influence in our lives. We may either feel frustrated at our inability to be productive and attempt to lose ourselves in self-destructive habits, or let boredom be an invitation to learn, explore, experiment, and hone the boundless creative energy within.

This may seem like an outrageous concept, but creativity is born from idle time. Overscheduled kids don’t have the opportunity or energy to delve as fully into what they are doing. They are often playing by the rules of coaches and teachers and being told what to do, as opposed to making up their own games and build social skills as they negotiate the ever-changing rules of those games.

In ancient traditions, boredom is perceived as a pathway to self-awareness. When we are troubled by boredom, it is not that there is nothing to do but rather that we are not stimulated by the choices before us. A bored mind can be the canvas upon which innovation is painted and the force that presses you to strive for opportunities you thought were beyond your reach.

Embrace boredom and let the empty space be an opportunity for creative self-expression and endeavors that expand your soul and nurture your inner gifts!

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