hsphaven

“For most of us boredom is an irritation – something that we experience when waiting in a queue or when sitting through a boring meeting – for others though it can be all pervasive and something that creeps up on us whenever we’re not active.” Adam Sinicki

I write this post because I’m bored. Excruciatingly bored. I don’t remember ever having such a problem with boredom until now. It really has become all pervasive, and I’m starting to see where the phrase “bored to death” comes from, as when we are bored, we are not connecting with anything or anyone. We are not connecting to life. My depression further confounds the problem because while there are plenty of things I know I can do- clean up, paint, go out, see friends- I simply don’t have the motivation or energy to do them. Instead I just end up lying flat on my bed. Tears stream my face and I find myself entertaining thoughts of suicide because I don’t see an end in sight.

I’m not sure what else I want to say in this post, so instead I’m going to provide some links to some articles about boredom which I’m finding helpful. These are from a site called “evolution counselling”, which adopts a CBT and mindfulness perspective. While I would usually find this offputing, the articles are written in such a warm, relatable way which makes me see why CBT and mindfulness is all the rave. The articles make me realise why I feel such a painful bout of boredom now after my counselling session. It is because my counselling relationship highlights how empty my life is. I ask myself what it is about this relationship which I lack in my other relationships and life endeavors. Is it the connection? Is it that I’m present? Is it that I am more open and invest more of myself into it? I suppose the task then is to try and work out why this is missing from the rest of my life, and how I can foster it.

• Boredom and depression
• What To Do When You Are Bored: links boredom with not being present, and the unconscious belief that we are immortal so have all the time in the world.
• The Capacity To Be Bored Is A Blessing: sees the capacity to be bored as a blessing because it means we have the power within us to discover what really does move us. Boredom helps put us back on our true path and purpose. Another interesting aspect of this article is the way it puts boredom on an “existential isolation continuum” from boredom to suicide.

I might also add to this post a link to Teal Swan’s video about apathy, which can be found here.