Gentle Mind Collective

Believe it or not…

There was a time when being bored was considered normal.

Long car rides with just the sound of cars passing by and the blasting of the cool air conditioning. We would create silly games to pass the time like spotting the most red cars or out-of-state license plates. Watching the telephone poles blur into rhythm. We would even watch the raindrops race down the car windows.

When we got sick and mom brought us to the doctor’s office, we played with the toys in the waiting room or read a book.

The moment we feel a hint of restlessness, we reach for the next thing. A screen, snack, podcast, and trying to make plans with friends.

We escape boredom.

When we are left with the absence of stimulation, we are stuck with the things we are exactly trying to avoid. Our emotions, our bodies, our thoughts, our deregulated nervous system.

What if instead of running away from it, we ran into it?

Boredom is the exact place where we flourish. It is the birthplace of creativity. Imagination. The place where emotions settled and prayers came to the surface. At some point, we lost our tolerance for internal stillness.

Avoiding boredom is avoiding ourselves. Boredom creates space and space is revealing. When we practice boredom, we are practicing true presence. It tells our nervous system, “I can be still and be safe.” Or even, “I don’t need to be constantly on the go to be okay.”

So let us try to drive without any music or GPS. Let us stand in line without our phones. Let us sit outside with absolutely no agenda. Or even let us finish a thought before trying to intercept it.

Learning to remain takes time, but we will slowly return to ourselves.