Comments on: Yawn

By: Heidi

Heidi — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:20:35 +0000

I love what you bring up about momentum. I feel like I can’t do anything big (laundry) without starting small (making the bed) and that give me the fuel to start moving and keep going.

I can’t wait though to hear more of your boredom breakthroughs – I’ve never had a easy go of it when I’m bored but I will say that reading big epic novels are do not help me. Shorter books are better for me doing those times.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 23:05:18 +0000

I think boredom is post-industrial. As are many modern conditions. Our ancestors should have been so lucky!

By: elizabeth

elizabeth — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:38:08 +0000

Terry, thanks for your thoughts. I think there is something about boredom/depression, something about MOMENTUM. When you’re moving, it’s easy to keep moving. When we’re not moving, it’s hard to muster to the energy to do anything (even something as simple as the laundry). And then you feel BAD that you couldn’t even muster the energy to do the laundry, which makes you want to crawl back into bed! I think you’re right – ESPECIALLY when it comes to creative pursuits – that you have to DO more than BE sometimes. Yesterday I got my momentum going again by hanging a bunch of photos on the wall that have been sitting defunct for weeks. And that gave me the energy to begin tackling that stack of papers I’ve been meaning to go through…

PS: I love that the psychiatrist told you you were morbid for enjoying life

By: terry

terry — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 18:18:17 +0000

Elizabeth boredom lies really close to depression for me. Doing the laundry can feel like the hardest thing I have ever done. When I’m busy I don’t even think about the laundry, it practically does itself.

I think writing my BLOG came out of fear of being bored. I know that I am in a completely different place than you are but I am really worried that when my kids do leave home, I will be bored. I needed to reinvent myself, again.

So, I set out to write and produce a play. At first, I spent much of my time waiting for phone calls to be returned or my agent to get back to me on chapters on my book.

Right now I could be waiting. I have pages with my manager and I am waiting to talk with another write/lyricist/composing group about the play. I really did get sick of waiting.

I feel like I have wasted years waiting. So now I’m just doing. My best work has been when I can muster the strength to keep going.

As an aside, I once was speaking to a very prominent psychiatrist. I told her how much I enjoyed life and how I did appreciate “the bliss” of everyday life. She looked at me and suggested that I was quite morbid. She said the flip side to enjoying life to the fullest each day was knowing that it could be taken away from you.

Perhaps the Buddhists have it right and it’s all about balance.

By: Gale

Gale — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:43:53 +0000

Life is, in fact, a series of contrasts. We can’t understand any of our conditions without exposure to their counter-conditions. And so I applaud you for evaluating this boredom as a means to an end; and end with greater significance and purpose. Sometimes the process doesn’t make sense, which challenges us not to doubt it. But I suspect that your waiting game may just pay off yet.

By: elizabeth

elizabeth — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:16:09 +0000

Yes, I agree, Kristen. We need the dark to see the light, the negative to see the positive, in life. I am reading “The Happiness Project” right now, and Gretchen Rubin talks about the importance of both increasing positive feelings AND reducing negative feelings. (And, also living the life that feels “right,” which is what LiP is all about!)

By: Anne

Anne — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:05:16 +0000

Really interesting thoughts on a part of life that often doesn’t feel so interesting to us. And yes, the pleasure of free time changes along with our context. Here’s hoping for that “bliss” on the other side to find you soon.

By: Kristen @ Motherese

Kristen @ Motherese — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:44:45 +0000

I love this post, especially this line: “free time feels free when you’re busy, and a jail cell when you’re bored.” I lived that feeling during both pregnancies when I spent months on bedrest. Now, what a dream it would be to spend weeks upon weeks doing nothing but reading and watching TV (oh yeah, and blogging).

But I am a big believer in the necessity of a life of complementary feelings and sensations; I think we might just be able to see more of the positive dimensions if we open ourselves up to the negative ones.

As for your Waiting Game, my guess is that it connects to publication of a memoir about your long trip. And here’s a vote of confidence to write one if you haven’t already: I’d love to read it!