@amit This is crazy! Only because I wrote a post last night about being bored but haven't posted it yet!
@greghiggins You should irrespective -- I would love to read your thoughts too. After all, it's not as if I myself wrote about boredom the first time.
@amit Great post. We were driving last week, and there was some 20 hours of just the road noise and me, no distractions... random thoughts. Boredom in a good way. No digital interruptions or anything filling my ears. This was more holiday for me than the days at the destination.
@amit Good one. BTW if I can guess your age, I might be sensing a midlife crisis coming on. Not always a bad thing if you are aware of it. Take care.
@vincent Yeah makes sense. Even I love driving alone -- even if it is within the city. Many a times, I will not listen to any thing at all. Not even songs -- free mind to listen to itself.
@pratik Yeah, possibly. I am sure every one of us goes through such a phase. And I am also sure each has their own way of handling it. I assume you did it as well!
@annahavron I put myself in solitude, so that it can attain boredom. The way I see it, the former is external. And the later internal, something within.
@amit Yup. Hit soon after I hit 40. Made job changes, re-examined relationships, reassessed priorities, etc. but it all worked out for good. My wife also gave similar advice as yours hence commented.
@amit Great post! As we have gotten older, we have realized the need for solitude and also for doing activities with others who are not family. As the kids have gotten older (17 and 20), they don't constantly need us anymore. Kids go out and do their own things now too. We do many things as family but, we also go on trips with friends or alone. My wife just returned from a week long trip to Portugal with a friend. We definitely need this outside of family time. I go on day long hikes or multi-day bike rides and I treasure that time. I am not sure I would call that boredom. I feel rejuvenated after these away from family activities. There is lots to talk about and share when we are together as a family.
@amit Beautiful post. It's a great thing, to have the balance of moments alone, so you don't lose sight of yourself.
@Parag Thank you Parag. Reading through your experience helps – I know this happens to all and I would be absolutely able to handle it 🙂
@Portufraise Thank you Ana. Not losing sight of myself is the first goal. I realized I was on the track to let that happen and hence was time to correct a few things.
@amit Interesting! Solitude to me is an internal state, a state where I can listen to myself. Sometimes I have nothing much to say, and look at the birds and the trees instead. But if I am quiet for a while, inside, sometimes other ideas will bubble up. I've never associated the state with boredom. Boredom for me is an uneasy and uncomfortable state, which paradoxically I most often experience at social events. @SimonWoods
@amit I'm learning these kind of solitary walks are crucial for my mental maintenance. Living in a small apartment with my partners is a blessing and a constant source of warm happiness. At the same time, the walks alone (often with a camera) allow me to experience things I am usually just numb to, things that should to be unfolded and shaken from from dust, things that allow me to be me. I always return home happier.