Boredom!

Boredom!

©Allen Merritt (2015)

I once heard someone say, “Boredom is an unreality.” I am not certain the context for which it was stated/used, but it resonated within me. Something in the statement rang true. I guess it spoke to me on how in this day and age there is always something to do. How can anyone be bored? At the same time, I realize most people feel this way from time to time. Are we overwhelmed with choices? Are there too many options? Is it about money or the lack thereof? Are our interests so high maintenance they extend beyond our reach? Or is it simply that we just can’t get into whatever it is we are a part? How do we get that spark back?

So, is boredom a reality that impacts our life and, if so how much? Is the aforementioned statement about boredom being an unreality more real than we know? It is easy to fall into a pattern of saying we’re bored with something. But what does that mean?

According to MENTALFLOSS.COMᶦ, there are five types of boredom, which include indifference, apathetic, calibrating, reactive and searching. The article doesn’t really offer solutions, only a listing, but it is something to think about. It seems to me that boredom if left unattended may be symptomatic of a deeper problem that needs a positive swing and a quick kick in the keister. I can’t imagine that anyone really wants to feel bad when all is said and done. So how does one handle this issue? I mean, if most people actually experience this thing called boredom, then it is a reality as long as we allow it to sit there and stew.

In many ways, this relates to last week’s blog about the “Blahs.” I think it refers to our ability to be conscientiously aware of ourselves (and the circumstances) enough to catch it as it begins to creep up on us. Nip it in the bud. Stop it before it gets out of hand and takes us away to that place no one wants to visit.

The idea of boredom has to do with emotion as much as motivation and drive. It may also be related to antsy ants-in-the pants anxiety. It seems to me the answer revolves around not just sitting there, but taking healthy action to alleviate the feeling. I think I understand the idea of boredom being an unreality to mean it can always be eliminated when we meet it head on and face-to-face. Boredom is only a fleeting moment when we feel it and move away from it. I agree boredom is an emotion, which becomes the take-away when I ponder the reality or unreality of boredom ideology.

The remedy starts with us. The question to ask is what are we going to do about it? Are we going to let it stew and let boredom integrate into our reality or are we going to engage in something? We can never say we are bored when we are involved in an activity. Sometimes just the act of doing something pushes us forward away from boredom. Moreover, I think there is a difference between boredom and the experience of highs and lows in our careers, relationships, dreams and other areas of our lives.

Ultimately deciding whether or not boredom is a reality or an unreality is an individual choice and decision. In my opinion, that is just the point! Boredom is a choice and a decision once recognized. I am not going to deny having ever felt and experienced it. But when I do I am always aware of it and look for a way out as quickly as I can. And, I am much happier in doing so!

ᶦhttp://mentalfloss.com/article/54074/there-are-5-types-boredom (Views 1/15/2015)

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Cheers!