Idle Ideas

Let’s talk about boredom. I started this drawing on a day that I was so tired I couldn’t feel anything but boredom. Too tired to do anything but live in my head in a very foggy way. 

Anybody else out there that can’t help but get real weird when they are in that headspace? So bored that you get the strangest ideas but too tired to second guess them? 

It got me thinking about boredom and what a privilege it actually is. So many people are working so hard to survive that they wish for boredom. There have been times in my life that I would have gladly welcomed a nice vacation in boredom. 

It’s unfortunate that I had to experience those moments of survival mode to fully appreciate that headspace. 

I know that being bored can feel very uncomfortable. Anyone who has ever been a child can probably relate. “Uuuugggghhhh I’m so boooooooored!!!!” Believe me, I get it. 

But y’all, boredom can be such a magical place if you can just lean into it. That is seriously the place in which we all have some of our best ideas. 

In a society where we have constant stimulation, entertainment, and distractions it can be difficult to understand boredom could be good when we have the opportunity to experience it. 

Ever noticed that you have the best ideas when you are in the shower or brushing your teeth? They are small moments in our day where we are left with just your thoughts. What a crazy thing. Being alone with our thoughts. 

My kids have gotten so annoyed with me over the years with my response to their “I’m so bored 😫😫!”s. I can’t help but be excited for them. They get responses from me like, “Congratulations! How lucky you are to have that freedom!” “Ohhh!!! I can’t wait to see what ideas you come up with in this magical space!” “What a wonderful place to be! You might come up with the next big thing!” They don’t appreciate those responses very much now, but I hope that one day they are able to see what a gift it actually is. 

In conclusion, cherish the boring moments. They can turn into anything but boring. They can rejuvenate and heal. Lean into it. Let that freak flag fly y’all!