Many people accept boredom as inevitable and make no serious attempt to banish it from their lives. But in fact it is an underground enemy, robbing life of its zest and joy. It can invade and spoil any sphere of life.
A man may be bored by his work, so
that every working day seems like eternity and a monotonous drudgery. The same
person may be no less bored during his holiday, as he slouches in a deck
chair on the beach. Both for the sake of others, and for our own
happiness, a determined effort should be made to banish this deadly and ever
present enemy – boredom! But how can this be done?
Advt
It is useful to remember that the
opposite of being bored is being interested. It is quite impossible for a
person to be bored and interested at the same time. The only way is to build up
positive interests. The person with a zest for a life has a great width and
rich variety of interests. This is the hallmark of a stable and well – balanced
personality.
Build Your Interests:
We are not born with interests ready
made. They must be acquired, built up and extended. We are spontaneously
interested in all those aspects of the world which give us satisfaction. A
hungry dog, for instance, is naturally interested in food. But as persons we
are able to acquire much more complex interests. Which impart a deeper and more
permanent satisfaction to the personality as a whole.
If we are wise, we shall avoid
putting all our eggs into one basket. The man who is keenly interested in his
job, but has no other interests, is looking for trouble. Since he cannot be at
work all the time, the rest of his life is bound to seem flat and empty.
To some extent, interest in life
depends on novelty and variety. If we keep
on doing the same old things, in the same old way, we are almost bound
to fall victims to boredom. On the other hand, the fresh, the original is
always interesting. Of course we cannot have everything new every day.
Monotonous repetition of jobs in the home and at work is the inescapable lot of
most of us. That is why it is so necessary to introduce novelty and variety
where and when we can.
Need we always travel to work by the
same route? Or lunch in the same restaurant with the same people? Why go every
year to the same place for a holiday? Or spend every weekend at the movies?
Perhaps this applies to the thoughts and ideas of our minds too. Do we keep on
thinking the same old thoughts like a
cat chasing its tail? This is where books can add a new depth of interest to
life, for in them we can encounter the fresh ideas of others and look upon life
through new windows.
A second truth is that vital interest
springs out of active participation. Boredom is the child of passivity,
interest is the child of activity. Boredom swiftly overtakes a person who is
doing nothing.
Listen to good music by all means.
But why not learn to play an instrument? Have a hobby or two, whether it is
gardening or carpentry, bee – keeping or painting, or playing cricket. Participate
actively in something and boredom will never come near you.
Practical Tips:
If
you, suffer from boredom, take some of these practical steps:
1. Depart from the daily routine by doing one or two new things each day. It does not matter if they are little things.
2. Give yourself a complete change of thoughts and ideas by reading a new book on a subject entirely fresh to you. is a mistake to suppose you can have only a few friends and acquaintances. Take the initiative daily in friendly conversation and contact.
3. Take up a new hobby, something you can learn to do by yourself. Practise it in your spare time.
4. Make a habit of talking to the people you meet about their interests, and try to enter into their interests as much as possible.
5. Remain loyal to your old friends but try to make new ones.
6. Don’t be friendly with only people of your own age or outlook. Show friendship to children and old people, and to those whose interests are quite different from your own.
7. If possible, take up some service for your village or town, your club or your Church. Remember that interest is the indirect result of active participation.
8. Try to make life more interesting for others. This acts like a boomerang in making your own life more vitally interesting.
