Making Mundane Moments Matter
If boredom is a problem, allow it to be a problem.
When you are bored and you go immediately to your phone to scroll and alleviate the boredom, you are missing a great opportunity to discover joy.
Yes, there is a sense of joy in scrolling; I do it also. Sometimes the consumption of fun and interesting things on social media can change our sense of boredom. But what do we leave with? We have been entertained by the scrolling, and ideally have received some inspiration, but usually we end up comparing ourselves to all the posts we see on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, and how we “measure up”.
This tendency to “measure up” robs us of our own joy. We each have a unique perspective on how we view the world. When our unique perspective is squelched by the external activity of seeing others perspectives, ALL THE TIME, there is little space allotted for our own view of the world.
The way I try to take care of my own bored moments is through art making. My art is hands-on using pencils, brushes, paper, fabric, collage, and colored art materials. Hands on art making is a good way to change the constant reliance on what our screens can do. Yes, the fun stuff is cool using the graphic tools and effects available online. But when you take the time to slow down, and pick up a pencil, crayon, pastel, or paintbrush, the feeling is different than relying on a screen.
Researchers have written extensively about the healing qualities of the expressive art activities. Most hospitals adorn the walls with beautiful, interesting and uplifting art. Why? Because art has been proven to be healing; viewing it and doing it.
Hands on art making doesn’t need to be only visual art making. The benefits of the expressive arts includes: movement, writing, poetry, music, cooking, gardening, designing, creating a business, and cooking. There are many other art forms to pursue in the expressive art field.
Your mundane and bored moments can be a launch pad for finding joy in your preferred expressive art form.
I believe finding our internal essence, which is innately creative, is a portal to each moment that can be embraced and filled with joy.
A good resource to discover your expressive art form is through classes and or workshops. The internet has many choices that are low cost. I have signed up for several courses to enhance my well being and learn more about art making. The resources I have used are:
You may want to try some or one of the classes or workshops that are offered on these platforms.
Many times there’s no need to take a class or workshop, but they can help to inspire, inform, and get you started.
Wishing you joy and new discoveries, as you stay curious and open to new creative adventures.
