So how long have your New Year’s resolutions lasted? Even if you’re not admitting to them, most of us at least had some intentions. I bet you’ve said to yourself, “I’m going to start this year calmer, I’m going to stay more focused or I’m going to try and get fit!”
How about taking a different approach and trying this one: “I’m going to let myself get bored.”
Go on, give it a go. Put everything aside, yep even your phone and just sit there. Let your brain wander and get to the place where you’re thinking, ‘Man, I’m bored!’
Because supposedly, that brain of yours is constantly on the go, and actually needs a chance to take a break.
The problem is, we all have new things we want to try, new routes we want to take, but our lives are so full keeping busy and not getting bored, that we don’t give ourselves the space to actually think how to get where we’d like to go.
When we’re running at top speed, trying to get all our work finished, trying to keep fit, trying to see friends and family, we have very little space to come up with new and exciting ideas.
Let me prove it…
In 2010 I was bored. I wanted to write, but all I found myself doing was managing creative teams – my job was schedules and budgets. The less my brain was being stretched, the more space I had to get up to mischief and find new avenues to amuse myself.
The result? I entered a Guardian writing competition.
Amazingly I went onto win it and this propelled me forward into a new job that involves loads of writing and totally stretches me. If I’d not been bored, I’d have totally missed the opportunity.
There’s just one small problem. Now I’m so stretched and busy I need to take some of my own advice and make the space to get bored again.
Most importantly, stopping gives us the chance to connect with our maker. It gives Him the chance to break through all the noise and begin to paint new visions for our lives – to realign us with what’s important to Him.
So, just give it a go – take up boredom as a hobby for 2014.