Is It Good To Be Bored?

Today is the 4th of July.  I am taking this day to be bored!

Why?

To clear my mind and to de-stress.

Most people are attending barbecues or throwing a frisbee at the shore where there are too many people and lots of sensory input.  It’s crowded. You talk and listen, plus your day is filled with activities just like your work week.  At the shore, yes there is nature … but there are also cars, waiting lines, people to talk with, volleyball, smartphones, etc.  In other words, constant distractions.

Just a day to appreciate ‘being.’

I need and seek a day of silence.  A day to sit on my deck and look at the trees swaying in the wind.  No noise, no talking or tasks to perform.

Meditation … only with my eyes open.   An opportunity to appreciate nature. Letting my thoughts come and go.  A day to process what has happened over the last week or so. A time to drift in and out of open awareness. A day to be creative. A time to let thoughts come in, write them down and see what evolves.

No stress.

I found it was easy to be creative once my mind was cleared of all the stress.  It was the perfect way to spend the day. Once my stress was released, my body relaxed.

I once saw a PBS special about James Taylor, the musician and songwriter.

He talked about his childhood summers, much of which were spent in boredom with little to do. He feels those summers lead to his creativity as a musician and songwriter.

Today, his recording studio is on a large property where he can go to be bored and experience silence, getting away from the hustle and bustle of daily life that occupies most of us. That’s where and when he creates his music.

How could your life be improved if you took time to be bored, to experience silence on a regular basis?

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