OMG I’m So Bored with Life: 20 Ways to Bring the Spark Back

Life can seem like nothing short of being a part of the chain gang. If you want to not be bored with life, then you have to take steps to change it.

I sat around today, all day, wondering what I should do. When you get to a point where everything seems way too predictable and more like Groundhog Day than another new day, then you may be trying to find a way to spice up your life to make it less boring. If you are bored with life, only you can change it.

My mom used to tell me only boring people are bored. Which, although thinking she was wrong, it is true. If you are bored, it is all of your own makings.

Boredom doesn’t come from outside; it comes within. We are so accustomed to thinking that it is the world’s responsibility to entertain us, that we have lost the ability to find things to do.

Since our cell phones appear to bring everything from around the world to us, we no longer feel the need to leave the house. After a while, staring at a device becomes boring. Just like everything, if you get out of the practice of doing things, it doesn’t come as easily. [Read: Loneliness in a relationship – 4 why’s and 7 ways to fix it]

20 ways to stop being bored with life

If you want to stop being bored with life, then you have to take life by the reigns and find the happiness inside. When life becomes monotonous, do these 20 things to shake it up.

#1 Change careers. The average person switches careers several times throughout their lifetime. The mistake that many people make is getting on a fast track to nowhere, and before you know it, you are on the path to boredom and afraid to scratch it and start at the bottom.

You are never too old to switch career paths. That old saying “do something you love, and you never work a day in your life” can help to chase away your boredom blues. [Read: 12 steps to change your life and find your happiness]

#2 Find a goal. Sometimes we get bored because it seems like we aren’t doing anything but treading water. If you want to beat boredom, find something that would make you feel accomplished, or make a bucket list and start checking things off.

There is nothing that makes boredom disappear more than having a goal and taking steps to achieve it.

#3 Find out what makes you happy and do it! Sometimes boredom can come under the disguise of being unhappy. Happiness is the spice of life, and without spice, things can taste, well, dull.

Find out what it is that is missing from your life and take steps to do those things that will bring out the best in you. So what if they aren’t practical, they cost money, or they are completely nonsensical? A little variety will make your boring days “poof” be gone. [Read: 13 happy things you need for a perfectly happy life]

#4 Do something completely uncharacteristic. If your life is feeling a little like the chain gang, it is probably because you are always doing what is expected of you.

Instead of being the same predictable, reasonable person you have become, do something that flies in the face of sanity. You just never know what can happen when you aren’t planning for anything.

#5 Make new friends. If you have had the same friends since you were old enough to remember, hanging out at the same bars, or doing the same dinners every weekend, you are bound to be bored.

There is something very comforting about being with the people you know and love, but also something very life-affirming and exciting about stepping outside the box to find a new group of friends to mix it up a little.

Just remember, make new friends but keep the old. No one knows you better than those friends who always have your back. Just in case you have too much fun, you will want those people in your life who know how to bring you back to earth around to even you out. [Read: How to make new friends as an adult – 15 ways to do it right]

#6 Train for something. There is something very exciting about the anticipation of training for a marathon, learning to scuba dive, or even jumping out of an airplane. If you want to do something that will make you feel less bored with life, then find something spectacular that is a one of a kind experience and follow through by being safe and ready for it.

#7 Learn a new hobby. There are all sorts of hobbies that you may have passed by because you don’t have the time. If you are bored with life, you have the time. If photography is something that you enjoy, or you like computer programming, it doesn’t have to be something senseless.

Hell, if you learn how to do your hobby well enough, you may be able to make some extra cash or find a new path to follow. [Read: 12 insightful lessons to help you have a better life]

#8 Travel. There is something very exotic about being outside of your element. If you want to shake things up a bit, learn a new language and head to a foreign place that has awe-inspiring sights of a lifetime.

Whether it is seeing the ancient pyramids, the Colosseum, or just parasailing across Australia, being in a new element may be just the thing to pull you out of your funk.

#9 Unplug. Sometimes we get so busy creating our “fake” online lives that we forget we are involved in a real one. The best way to overcome boredom is to put your computer and smartphone away and pick up a real phone to meet someone for lunch.

Strange but true, you can actually bypass the pictures of your friend’s children by meeting and seeing them in person. Dare to dream!

#10 Find a higher power that suits you. If you don’t have faith in a path on earth, it is easy to get lost and bored. Not knowing why you go to the same job every day, why you come home to the same house and wife, or why you show up to the same cubicle without question can leave you feeling empty.

If you are bored, read about religion or spiritual theories. Who knows, you may just find a new purpose that puts it all in perspective, fills you emotionally, and makes life a little less monotonous and a little more meaningful. [Read: The need for purpose in life –  5 things it can do for you]

#11 Have a child. Okay, I am the mother of six, and I can tell you that when you have children NOTHING is ever boring. Chaotic, crazy, overwhelming, frustrating, angering and sometimes God-awful… there is NOTHING boring about having a child if you are ready.

#12 Find a new mate. If you find yourself sitting on the couch day after day watching Netflix or taking turns choosing what frozen food to put in the microwave, then it may be time to move on to a new relationship. Not everyone is suited to be together. And, just because you have been together for a while, that doesn’t mean that it is right. It is scary to let someone you love go and throw caution to the wind.

I mean, what if you lose the love of your life? The truth is that if they are the love of your life, once you get the boredom out of your system, then if it is fate, you will end up together and way less bored with life… and not taking each other for granted. [Read: 15 reasons why you may be bored with your relationship]

#13 Move to a new city and start over. One of the scariest things you can do is to pack your bags, leave your job, and move to another city. Find out if your company has any positions in other cities or look for something in another city that you have always wanted to try.

There is nothing boring about starting a new life in a place where everything is new and like a present ready to open. [Read: 8 fun ways you can start over in a brand new city]

#14 Write your manuscript. We all have a writer inside of us. It is difficult to know where we are going if we don’t know where we came from. Going over your life and the decisions you have made to get to your place of being bored with life may give you the perspective you need to find a way out of it, and find a way to make better decisions going forward.

#15 Rearrange your furniture. I know this sounds pretty mundane, but if it is just a night of boredom, this is a quick and easy switch that can add a little variety to your world without any hassle or permanency.

#16 Change your look or hairstyle. If you are tired of looking in the mirror seeing the same old face staring back at you, then it may be time to give those 2000s glasses a pass and change the bad dye job.

Not only is it exciting to change your look, but it might also get others to treat you differently. That may lead to a new love interest, or even gain you some respect at work. None of those things are boring. [Read: 18 ways to have high self-esteem and start winning at life]

#17 Go back to school. Nothing will make you less bored with life than going back to school. If you want to further your career, advancing can happen pretty immediately if you go back and learn how to make yourself invaluable.

If it is something you love, immersing yourself is a great boredom shaker. It is hard to be bored with life if you have your head buried in a book.

#18 Ask out your secret crush. If you have a secret crush, then put yourself out there to ask them out. If they say yes, then your boredom will definitely take the back seat. If they say no, then you will have a good time seeking out someone else to brighten your days going forward.

Boredom is all about staying stuck and not trying to take steps to better yourself or change your circumstances. [Read: Sabotaging your happiness – 12 ways you can ruin your life]

#19 Get a new car or splurge. How many times do we ever do things for ourselves, like major things? If you have been driving around in a late model car that is on its last legs, finding the car of your dreams is the best way to leave boredom in the dust.

Not only will you want to hop in it all the time to go for a ride, you will have a fun time catching up with friends while you show it off.

#20 Get a second job. There is nothing worse than sitting around by yourself after work without anything to do. Getting a second job will get you out of the house, allow you to meet new people, and give you the financial freedom to do something exciting like take a trip or buy yourself a nice little carrot for all your hard work.

[Read: The meaning of YOLO – 15 ways to live your life to the fullest]

Only boring people are bored with life. If you are bored, the only one that can change that is you. Stop waiting for excitement to knock on your door and start breaking them down instead.

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