Have you ever thought about what “boredom” really is? Try and put into words what you think it means. I challenged myself to do the same and came up with this....an uncomfortable state of being, where I simply don’t know what to do with myself. We’ve discussed the topic of numbing our pain or negative feelings with alcohol. I’m not implying that boredom is synonymous with pain, but boredom IS a state of discomfort for most of us. We don’t like to be bored. This could be because early on in life, we are taught that boredom is bad. I’ve even told my kids “go find something to do!” So while my definition isn’t exactly scholarly, it does point out one very key thing....not knowing what to do with myself, which creates discomfort. And therein lies the problem.

It really shouldn’t surprise us that research studies have discovered a link between boredom and addiction. The belief that boredom is a bad thing is so deeply rooted into our subconscious, that we feel we need to ‘numb’ or rid ourselves of the discomfort that being bored brings. And so we drink.

Just like everything in life, boredom at its worst can have negative effects (this is why they use solitary confinement as a form of punishment). But for our purposes, I want you to start to consider that maybe boredom can be something other than a negative thing. How would it look if you saw boredom as an opportunity? An opportunity to do something you’ve always wanted to do. I know I had a list of ‘goals’ as long as my arm when I first quit drinking so I finally had time to start to accomplish those things. I’ve read hundreds of books (and remember reading them!), I started this business, I am weight training and doing yoga, and I’ve written two books! This is a list of a few of the things I’ve been able to accomplish as a result of “boredom.”

We get one life and it’s such a shame to waste opportunities to achieve goals by instead choosing to drink because we’re bored. Today’s the perfect day to start to change how we view the state of ‘boredom.’