Magnific
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I’m speaking to those of you who are “bored.”
Core Meanings and Uses of “Bored” – (Cambridge Dictionary and AI)
- Uninterested: Finding no joy or fun in a task, movie, or class.
- No Action: Having free time with nothing to do, causing restlessness.
- Tired/Weary: Feeling drained or impatient due to a long, repeating routine
One big point here is that if you’re sitting there “bored” with no one to entertain you, nothing that excites you, I’m here to tell you that no one CARES how you spend your time, and that’s a beautiful GIFT – the gift of freedom to shape your life the way YOU want it to be without any worries about someone else judging you – sitting in a chair unhappy that a long day stretches before you with no plans, no purpose – a life that just makes you sad,
I’m making several assumptions here. If I’m off the mark on these, let me know and I’ll address them in other parts of this series. After all, we’re in this world together. Okay?
I’m assuming that
- you are retired or have a good amount of time
- you either live alone or have the freedom to schedule much of your own time
- you haven’t won the lottery or otherwise cornered the market on spendable funds
- you do not now have any all-consuming, driving force inside you pushing you in any certain direction.
Disclaimer: I admit that I personally have never been bored. With working full time all my life, keeping our house by myself, raising our son, meeting the needs of my husband, taking care of the yard, cooking and more, what little time I had I tried to rest, read a little bit, watch TV…
One of my very best friends in the world lived across the country from me. She had her artwork on my website for many years, but she always self-described as, “BORED.” She had nothing to do. Her days stretched out in front of her with nothing she wanted to do, nowhere she wanted to go… Her husband passed and she moved to The Villages in Florida (which I describe as a “Cruise Ship on the Ground” with whole newspapers devoted to clubs, activities, events, classes, shops, and more for each section of the city.
It was one of the few things that drove me nuts about her. I loved her to pieces. We maintained a close friendship for over 20 years, emailing each other every day until she passed last year. My point here is that being bored is a mindset developed over many years, regardless of actual circumstances.
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I am now living essentially alone in Thailand. My husband and I moved here about a year ago in order to retire, regain our health, and live close to our grown son. 2 weeks after we moved, my husband had a stroke and is now in a nursing home here. I have a condo by myself in the same building as our son, living alone for the first time in my life in a very different retirement from that which we planned.
I have shaped my life here to make room for as many things that give me pleasure as possible so that I can have some routine and then pick and choose what I want to do each day. I never have enough time or energy to do all I want to do on a given day. I feel happy and fulfilled and it just keeps getting better and better.
I want to help YOU shape YOUR world so that you’ll never be bored again. “And how do I do that?” you ask. I won’t kid you. If you have the “I”m bored” mindset, this will be difficult. You’ll have to WANT to change and be determined to try some of my suggestions.
Suggestions # 1
Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas
- Start with one thing you like to do now or have enjoyed in the past. Take a walk, for instance. But do it in a new, mindful way. Choose a time when the weather is cooperative. Wear comfortable clothes (particularly shoes), carry a bottle of water – maybe a small snack, as well. Go to somewhere you feel safe to take a lot of time, wander around with no particular destination in mind, where there are places to sit down and rest from time to time.
How do you walk mindfully? You pay attention. You notice things going on around you. You notice the sweet family that is enjoying the park with you. The infectious giggle of the little boy as he makes discoveries. The smiles of the parents as they each hold a hand, making sure he doesn’t fall, and then carefully allowing him a bit of freedom as he discovers another treasure. Notice the dog straining on the leash of his owner, who is distracted and wanting him to do his business and allow them to get home so she can make dinner after a day at work. Notice the bed of flowers someone planted, choosing colors that look stunningly beautiful together, arranged so the tall flowers are at the back, stair-stepping down to the little ones at the front that barely peak over the edge of the planter. Notice the butterflies and the bees enjoying the flowers, too. And the squirrel up in the tree…. Feel yourself relax as you walk and lose yourself in the joy of having your OWN discovery session. You haven’t given yourself the freedom just to walk for the pleasure of it in years. Enjoy it now. Feel the sun on your face. The breeze blowing your hair. Smile at the old man sitting on the bench sunning himself and watching the world go by. Feel your spirits lifting. Your problems leaving – at least for a while. Notice how good it feels to move!
You may decide that you enjoy it so much you want to do it again – more often – maybe even regularly, when the weather permits. You’ll look forward to the freedom of deciding that you want to spend time enjoying another part of your neighborhood or city each time, or find favorite places you can enjoy like an old, comfortable shoe. You have the freedom to reset your mind. To choose how you want to spend your time – where you want to go – how long you want to stay –
And you might notice that each time you take a walk, you feel better, stronger, more agile, more comfortable. Your mood lifts when you even THINK about taking a walk, getting outside and seeing what treasures you can find this time…
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My purpose here is to get you out of the rut you have crafted over time. I’m going to write more from time to time, suggesting things I have found that fulfill me and make my days joyful. The big idea here is you decide how you look at life, your place in it, how you choose to spend your time. It can be changed so that you can’t wait to get up and find something else wonderful to try!