Sheena, this really resonated. Boredom as a doorway, not a failure — especially the way the outdoors makes it almost unavoidable in the best possible way.
I love how you describe meeting a better version of yourself in those unfilled moments. That feels true for me too: creativity doesn’t arrive when I’m optimizing my time, it shows up when I finally stop managing it.
A good reminder that “doing nothing” is often where the noticing begins — and noticing is where everything else comes from.
Kelly, wow. When you said “creativity doesn’t arrive when I’m optimizing my time,” you stopped me in my tracks. So beautifully put. It scares me sometimes when I look at how I spend a workday and realize that very little of it is spent fostering creativity by forcing true boredom. Hoping this is the year of redefining success by the quiet moments over the busy ones.
Sheena — this means so much. That fear you named is so real, and so many of us try to outrun it by optimizing harder. But creativity is sneaky — it shows up in the margins, the boredom, the unclaimed minutes.
I love your framing of success as quiet moments over busy ones. That feels like the truest kind of recalibration. 💛
Agreed! The grand adventures make it simpler! It’s the little everyday moments that I think most of us struggle with. Been trying to make my phone a last resort these days, but it’s so dang tough.
I find myself in total agreement with what you say even though I struggle with not doing anything, or engage with my phone for that matter. Being outdoors certainly helps to just be there without doing much of anything.
What you are advocating is spot on for brain recovery from all of its creative and decision-making functions, etc.
I remember someone — you know who — wanted me to be without my cell phone for just 24 hours! I ended up not doing so, as I found it quite hard not to be engaged in things happening around me. Now, I wish I had listen to that someone! 😊
I hear you. Three years into retirement and I still find myself thinking (almost everyday) what’s on my to do list……
No better time than now to make free time a part of that to do list!
Sheena, this really resonated. Boredom as a doorway, not a failure — especially the way the outdoors makes it almost unavoidable in the best possible way.
I love how you describe meeting a better version of yourself in those unfilled moments. That feels true for me too: creativity doesn’t arrive when I’m optimizing my time, it shows up when I finally stop managing it.
A good reminder that “doing nothing” is often where the noticing begins — and noticing is where everything else comes from.
— Kelly
Kelly, wow. When you said “creativity doesn’t arrive when I’m optimizing my time,” you stopped me in my tracks. So beautifully put. It scares me sometimes when I look at how I spend a workday and realize that very little of it is spent fostering creativity by forcing true boredom. Hoping this is the year of redefining success by the quiet moments over the busy ones.
Sheena — this means so much. That fear you named is so real, and so many of us try to outrun it by optimizing harder. But creativity is sneaky — it shows up in the margins, the boredom, the unclaimed minutes.
I love your framing of success as quiet moments over busy ones. That feels like the truest kind of recalibration. 💛
– Kelly
Travel, backpacking, and river trips are my portal into gratifying boredom. The challenge is to find this more often and in my everyday.
Agreed! The grand adventures make it simpler! It’s the little everyday moments that I think most of us struggle with. Been trying to make my phone a last resort these days, but it’s so dang tough.
I find myself in total agreement with what you say even though I struggle with not doing anything, or engage with my phone for that matter. Being outdoors certainly helps to just be there without doing much of anything.
What you are advocating is spot on for brain recovery from all of its creative and decision-making functions, etc.
I remember someone — you know who — wanted me to be without my cell phone for just 24 hours! I ended up not doing so, as I found it quite hard not to be engaged in things happening around me. Now, I wish I had listen to that someone! 😊
There’s no day like today to try again. Why not?
Exactement!
Sheena June,
You’re such a great inspiration to me. ❤️😊❤️
❤️❤️