I "suffer" from boredom.
At times it is barely recognizable, and at other times it seems to consume me altogether.
I have always felt that bordeom was somehow "forced" upon me; meaning having to fulfill certain obligations, to take part in activities in which I have no interest, or to empty mindedly stare at the television set.
In fact, just today, I was so bored that I looked up the definition of boredom on the internet.
I can tell you with no doubt that I was taken aback by the definition: "Boredom is a chosen state of mind brought on by laziness and the firm belief that others are in charge of the supposedly afflicted person's own entertainment.
" I was startled after having read this definition which when broken down states that if I am bored, then I have chosen to be bored.
I needed to spend a bit of time digesting that.
I have always felt that states of boredom were because I was doing things repetitively or that life itself had become tedious and thereby boring.
Reading, that by definition, boredom is a chosen state of mind actually makes sense.
Despite daily obligations to family, work, and community, I am still, after all, the master of my own destiny.
Thus if I am finding tedium in my routine, then it is upon my shoulders to find interest in what I am doing, to make time for my interests, or to shift my situation altogether if I have "chosen" to be bored by my life.
The next revelation in the definition of boredom actually rendered me angry and defensive.
"boredom is brought on by laziness.
" Who, me lazy? How insulting! Yet in reflection, the phrase rings true.
If I am bored with my duties then it is up to me to find interest in them and to find contentedness thereby.
it is also up to me to make room in my life for more of my direct interests.
Indeed, it seems, boredom is brought on by laziness.
The final "dose" of the definition of boredom really "charged me up.
" By stating in the definition that boredom is the belief that others are in charge of my entertainment would thereby imply it is entirely up to me to change my personal thinking patterns rather than giving the responsibility of my own contentment to others.
It seems then, in order to overcome boredom, we must first declare that we are in charge of our own lives and interests.
Secondly, that it is up to us as individuals to take pleasure in that which we have chosen as our life patterns.
If we are displeased with these patterns, then it is up to us to change the patterns.
Boredom, by definition it seems, is the rallying call to take charge of our own lives, interests, and actions.
Never blame others for our situation, but merely for us as individuals to change rather than to blame.
It seemingly further implies we should never take for granted one moment of our lives and that it is up to us to "supercharge" our own lives by being passionate about our current routine as well as those things we want to, and thereby should do.
One need, it seems, never to be bored again.