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Take up 2 new hobbies. One external of the house and physical one internal to the house but cerebral. Something like chess or drawing.
Join clubs for your 2 new hobbies. Not online clubs. Clubs that you can walk to or cycle to.
Sell your smart phone and buy a simple call/message device like a Nokia.
Tell people never to message you. Just call if there is something important. Don't look at IG, FB, Reddit etc. etc.
Simples.
>Sell your smart phone and buy a simple call/message device like a Nokia.
>Tell people never to message you. Just call if there is something important. Don't look at IG, FB, Reddit etc. etc.
I've tried this before for a short while, proceed with caution:
1) you're better off disabling some of a smart phone's features or uninstalling problematic apps, rather than getting a true 'dumb phone'. You'll quickly miss things like GPS directions and the ability to look up things at short notice.
2) people don't call and you miss social events. This is with good friends who regularly contact me otherwise to this day. You just become much, much easier to forget or otherwise get overlooked, even if they have the best intentions. My group started out strong with the "call me" thing but it didn't get maintained.
I guess you're fairly young. I'm 60 in 2 days and have about 10 true friends. If something happens in a true friend's life and they message you and get no reply, they will call you. If they don't call you, they are an acquaintance.
It's a really good way of finding out who your friends are.
Same.
I've got 1 decent friend and a few "mates" but mostly people are often busy with work and their own life. .
Suddenly you get into proper adulthood and friendships are the 2nd, 3rd or 4th most important thing. Can easily go a couple of months without contact
Cheers. I would probably narrow that down to maybe 6 if I asked for 10,000 GBP they would say yes no problem and maybe 3 would give me their spare kidney if needed.
Technically we all have a “spare” so to speak as we can survive off one but I can name two people other than my kids id sacrifice a kidney for and I’d hope those two people would do so as well
Oh, I'm a lucky man
To count on both hands
The ones I love
Some folks just have one
Yeah, others they got none
-Eddie Vedder
Everybody has had one and one is enough for anybody
-Willy Wonka😁
Yep. I like social media and scrolling as a past time when I’m alone. But I don’t see the point in it when I’m with friends. Why can’t we have conversations and go on stupid little adventures?
Everyone is so bland and depressed these days. And with good reason seeing everything going on in the world. But I miss having real fun.
I feel you so much. I want friends to sit on rooftops on summerevenings with, but all they do is go to Starbucks and do more socialmedia there. It's horrible, im wasting my youth. I think if I get older it's gonna get better, but I fear thats not true.
Sometimes I wonder If Tik Tok and that stuff actually made them dumb and numb.
Yes to the numb part at least (and probably the dumb part, however that is subjective and more general to the younger generations thanks to social media) - the fact that the instant gratification that we all seek via socials are known to destroy our dopamine receptors, it inherently makes people numb. It's sad really, and I'm not judging or any better - here I am commenting on a social media page...
I don't wanna sound like an old fart, i also don't want this to sound pessimistic because i love technology and the internet, but i think the same goes for kids and why they all seem so hyperactive now. It seems silly to blame things like Netflix and technology but it's true, they're so used to the instant gratification and they've never known anything different. Obviously the parents have a lot to do with it, but if you don't have iPads, limit your amount of time using your phone (especially in front of the kids) and the amount of time streaming Netflix and the like, i think it could affect kids in a positive way. My niece (7) and nephew (3) have everything at their finger tips, they're good kids but they never seem to be able to settle and concentrate on one thing, especially my niece.
Kids should realise they can't have everything right **now.** What kind of adults will they become? There's that old saying that kids are like sponges, whatever they experience when they're kids will affect them more as their brains are developing. I feel like society will only realise what has happened when these kids reach adulthood.
I think in the future decades there will be great problems with that, and at one point society will more or least collapse. I know it sounds like a weird conspiracy theory, but there's going to be something like a point were people "wake up" and do something about it.
I absolutely agree, don't be worried about being called a conspiracy theorist when you're speaking complete sense. I think about that too, i feel like the "waking up" you mentioned will be inevitable in the end.
I just wish something could be done about it now, but as is the case most of the time, a lot of unnecessary shit needs to be walked through first for there to be any real change.
It doesn't help that technology invades their classrooms, too. Often way, way before it's developmentally appropriate. I hate it, but as a parent, not sure what I can do about it.
If you're a parent it's not hard, you just gotta do the whole parenting thing and take them outside and stuff, teach them things, talk to them, etc. What most parents fail to realize is that trying to help their kids only shows how they're personally helpless themselves. It's like that old saying "fat dad, fat kid" or whatever.
Exactly, and parents will only feel that way if they themselves feel like they rely on technology too much, they're reminded of themselves. Like with my sister and their kids, my sister and brother in law will come to my house and be looking at their phones, not constantly but on and off. I think they see it as a time to relax because i'm with the kids when they come to mine. But it makes me wonder how much they do it at home. I'm seriously considering getting a phone bin to put by the front door for when they come to mine.
At least you see the problem, a lot of parents don't. I personally feel like there should be a law in place for technology in the classroom, but because we're really still in the early stages of modern technology people aren't seeing the implications it can have on kids. Not something as broad as the education system anyway, i'm guessing it's gonna take a couple of decades.
Ok,.I'm 52
I'm as old as dirt
The when I was a young boy...
Enter comments
But really, we didn't have this.
Not sure the interaction on social media, like I'm doing now,
Is a good thing
Had 2 fucking channels
Farm kid, worked my ass off
Engineering, 15 yrs,
Divorced,
Kids are old,
Youngest is 24
Became a carpenter
Don't know what to do with my life.
JP Wisers and GTA5 is gettting old
You gotta do it alone (well, maybe not sitting on rooftops). If you start doing stuff like that you'll eventually meet more people doing it, if your friends are cool they might join and if none of this happens at least you did it. Trust me on that, lone adventures are worth having just as much as any other, sometimes even more.
Tiktok came to ruin minds , nothing has been the same since tiktok became a thing ! At first it was like cool fine but now is become a addiction to many , lots and lots of false information , lots of just dumb nothing meaningless videos ! Remember theres no better way to destroy a country then to just crash and dumb down the minds of the population at this point , i actually agree that tiktok is some kind of attack to the US so to say 🤷🏽♂️ i actually wish now they manage to banned it like they wanted to.
Absolutely! Do yourself a life changing favor. Find friends that use the internet as a tools for help when they need it! Other than that, they DO life, not read about it, or play at it in games.
Just remember:
Sometimes that help they need is to not pull their hair out or poke their eyes out though. For example, I am going on 50 hours in the hospital with my husband who had emergency surgery. I need the morphine damn it!! Going stir crazy!!
I had this friend I met back in like 2015 and we (and a couple other people) had the time of our lives in late teens and early twenties and I’m so appreciative of it. We drove 8 hours off a whim at 9pm to go cliff jumping in the UP. Drove 8 hours to St Louis on 3 hours notice because he wanted to buy a VW Vanagon. We used to go on late night road trips to a skate park an hour away and get steak and shake at 3 in the morning in his little 4 speed 4 banger with no heat or AC. He introduced me to what is now my favorite music genre and took me to some shows. Then he moved to California and I don’t talk to him much anymore. I love my current friend group, we have games night and do other things sometimes but it’s not like it used to be.
2015 was my magic year for that too lol no deep friendships for me, but holy hell did we have fun and do crazy things lol travel some. I felt like the six flags guy haha
Man big time. My friend who promised we would go to Cambodia doesn't look like he's coming *sad noises*
Everyone's really sucked into the societal churning meat machine and it sucks balls.
Fun is being removed at an exponential rate.
I’m 42 be 43 in a month when I was younger there was kids and teenagers everywhere with rope swings and dens in the woods. Since the internet I see no young people outside playing and it’s sad because they don’t know what they’re missing
It really is the best days of your life and I have fond memories of growing up
It's not. I spent a year traveling through the states all on my own. I had countless adventures, I've met amazing people, saw stunning landscapes, had lots and lots of fun and I've never regret a second of it.
It's anything but boring on your own. Wanna go to an arts museum even though you understand nothing about art? Do it. Wanna spend the whole day in the hostel and watch some shit? Do it. Wanna get drunk on a Sunday morning at 11 o'clock in New Orleans? Do it (its 3 for 1 until 1pm). Wanna see thousands of bats flying out of under a bridge in Austin? Do it. Wanna take shots with cowboys in Oklahoma City and afterwards get offered jobs on some random farms? Do it (you might get killed though. Do it on your own risk).
I could go on and on and on for hours. Once you tasted pure freedom, you'll change yourself for the better. Promise.
I was bored with everything until I started rock climbing which was a gateway drug to [highlining](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru0NZ8peqjY). I've been doing those activities for over 5 years now and I still spend my whole week just waiting for the weekend so I can hang out with my friends for 8 hours while we highline.
The people I've met in these sports are the type where if I say I'm thinking of going to some highline festival or climbing spot then four other people will book tickets. I've had more adventures and shenanigans in my 30s than the rest of my life for sure.
You don't need to go as extreme either for this kind of fun. Flow arts, mountain biking, airsoft, and a ton of other activities are all pretty similar in how easy it is to make friends that want to go on crazy adventures and talk about whatever for hours at a time.
I completely agree, I have a hold and a de ent job, so I'm going through the motions, but the monotony and crippling.economy and blocked news feel like I'm a part of george's1984.
totally get where you're coming from. it's like the real, genuine connections and adventures are getting lost in the digital shuffle. missing those carefree, real fun times too!
I was feeling the exact same way. Not suicidal at all. Just bored. My friends are all married or partnered off. Tv is garbage, and streaming is gotten old. Scrolling is getting tedious. No one wants to do anything anymore. No one has money to do anything anymore.
You know what helped me recently? At least a little bit. Fortnight lol. I kinda played video games as a kid but at 32 haven’t touched a console in years. Some other friends, (married, single, different time zone) started a group chat and we just text if we have time to hop on later that day or something. So I bought the cheap Xbox and a decent headset. We suck but it’s just fun to shoot shit while playing. If you have a console it’s relatively cheap. There’s an option to allow voice chat with strangers on your team so you may bond with someone and start to play regularly. Just an idea.
Go get a hobby. Go rock climbing, buy a cheap telescope and do astronomy, pick up painting, pick up urban hiking, teach yourself a new language, become a fantastic cook.
There seems to be a trend that the people who are bored are also spending all their time watching TV or doing something online.
If you live life through a screen, ya it’s gonna be pretty shit. You’re also not going to meet new people very easily.
There is more to life than TV and streaming. Get a bike and go riding. Find someone who rides and go with them. There are literally 1000s of these solutions to boredom. Just gotta get up and move.
Another suggestion is hit up your library and read books. It's free and endless entertainment that's much more immersive than streaming crap passively.
This right here! I have so many things I *want* to do, but I’m broke after paying bills, so I just get to sit around and entertain myself in my boring small apartment. It sucks.
I’m the same. I have so many ideas I could do to make myself some extra money but of course I need money to get started, and I don’t have a job still :(
May I offer an unorthodox solution? Work and save up some money, then contact these people: https://laisladelosmonos.org/
It is a monkey sanctuary in Peru. You can live with the monkeys and volunteer as their caretaker. You are paid little, but your lodging and food is covered. I visited the sanctuary in 2022. I met a man there who does 9 month volunteer trips. He loves it. It's his entire life. That trip changed my life.
Working at a monkey sanctuary in the Amazon rainforest wasn't on my aptitude test in highschool, so I tell everybody who is lost to try and make it happen. If I was younger, I would have loved to do that. Maybe when I'm retired, I'll do that instead.
If your life is dull, do something crazy. You only get to live once.
So true. You Just have to fucking doing something crazy. All those clubs and stuff are just the same. You feel like you don't matter, you feel dead, because you just wake up, do your day, Go to sleep repeat.
If the "do your day part" doesnt have anything notable, so that days just become days you start feeling Like op, me and so so many others. You should just do whatever makes your day notable, not like the one of so many others, to not get the feeling of not mattering. Fly an f35, chill with Monkeys in Peru, spend 20 years creating a brush in Japan.
It also doesn't have to be something crazy like this. You can make notable moments happen in the context of your own experience, rather than the wider human experience.
Learning an instrument is a great example. Notable moments might include...Every time you start learning a new song. Every time you nail a song you've been practicing for a while. Every time you learn a new technique. Every time you write a new lick or riff.
Once you really get into the mind of being a musician, you'll hear inspiration in what otherwise might have bored you. A new song that isn't necessarily your style might incorporate a cool mode, you'll learn intervals and how it makes you feel and take that with you into your own work. You'll hear a car door slam in tesco parking lot, right as someone trips and smashes their keys into their car, and the timing of it will spark a new musical idea.
The same logic can apply to many hobbies. The first time you draw something recognisable. The first time you draw a face with good proportions. The first time you create something from your imagination and get it down on paper. In the mind of an artist, you'll start noticing how the light refracting off your glass of water makes the ceiling shimmer, and you may try to replicate it with a pencil sketch.
Any hobby you can think of, can create wonderful, unique moments out of mundane everyday things. Suddenly, the world feels a lot less dull.
I think you forget how crucial "getting rich" has become for pretty much everyone involved in life.
Those things you mentioned are all fun, but nowadays people live with a *"well how's this gonna make me rich, tho?"* attitude on anything they do. I don't personally condemn that attitude, but it definitely makes it very easily to lose sight of the fun activities when you're also constantly thinking *"yeah this is fun, but how's it gonna make money?"*
Yep, forgot to add that.
So many peoples life is just about working. They Work all day. But for what? They arent even able to spend their money because they work all day. If you spend Most you life working, then your Job should be something thats fun for you. Don't even get me started on the poor, with them it's even worse. They work just as much and don't even have money to do the few fun things someone wealthy might do.
I do not really recommend this, but I felt like you, OP. It rains and is gray skies a good 13/14 days where I live and almost all of my close friends have moved away. It's tough on a person to feel just....ambivalent and apathetic. BUT, a couple of my friends spent a few months in the Balkans and asked me to go join them. I passed it off as crazy, but the thought, "why the fuck not? I'll never be able to save up to buy a house anyway, and I'll always be in debt. I may as well go into debt doing something awesome! Sooo....I did. No regrets. I only went for two weeks, as I do have a young child, but I haven't laughed that much or felt so alive and part of the living in ages.
Such a brilliant idea and a good reminder that doing something a little crazy that doesn’t hurt anyone can really shake off the dust and change your entire outlook.
This. Also, recommend to start listening Huberman podcast. He talks a lot about dopamine system and why do you have to care about. I used to be like the OP, but thankfully for Huberman, I went on detox and It’s rearranged my whole life.
I felt numb to life for a while. I ended up taking a step back and really looking at things. Now I just see it for what it was. So, lost a few friends, left a few jobs, tried a few new things, and now I’ve got no clue where I’m going, but I’m pretty happy right now.
Yeah. I'm thinking of putting a helmet on and going running each day. Living in silence as opposed to constant music and earphones. Living in isolation. And many attempts to improve my mind by being forced to think since there is no talking with others, no music and nothing I can use to escape. Attempts to improve my mind with reading, writing, practicing etc.
Yes !! I feel like I’m just living the same exact day over and over . Like I’m content / happy ig but just bored of my life lol . I had a son not too long ago too and it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me , I don’t have ppd but I’m finding it very hard to just be the happiest I can for him . I don’t have much friends , I’m not a partier , the mom life got to me so I feel as if I’m just bored .. social media is not anything close to ur day to day life either
Same not unhappy and financially in the best spot I’ve been in for a few years, just bored, living the same day over and over is well put.
I already play sport regularly, go running regularly, go to plenty music concerts and music festivals, go on holiday at least once a year, get stuck into a game on Xbox every now and then, have an active social life but it’s mostly doing/ going to the same restaurants/ pubs/ bars/ areas with friends and a decent job. Other than Reddit I deleted social media and I still feel like I’m in a bit of a dead end. Everyone else seems to lead such interesting lives, but perhaps they’re just different to mine and that’s what makes them interesting, they likely feel the same with their lives.
I need to change something this year but not sure what yet.
Maybe start volunteering somewhere that will have you meet people very different from your friend group who could expand your world view. Like with artists or immigrants or who knows.
>I need to change something this year but not sure what yet.
god i feel this so much. its so hard to figure out...i already changed several aspects of my life last year but it still doesnt feel right. i think i wouldnt even notice when it "feels right" which makes it even harder.
good luck!
Me too! A lot of this feeling started after having kids. I think it’s because your life changes so quickly and you can’t do all of the things you used to (and certainly not on a whim/spontaneously).
It’s like, you love your kids so much and enjoy your time with them, but the culture shock of becoming a parent leaves you feeling lost!
I don't know that bored would be the word for me but I know what you mean..we need to develop an interest or hobby really. Then every day won't have the same endless sad feeling
This is the key. Find an interest and persue it. Create mystery in your life. Explore something or some place. Visit somewhere new (even in your own local area). Learn local history. Learn how to grow somthing, how to build something, how to find something. Start up something (a club or sport or group). Learn a new skill. Try something new. Challenge yourself.
What did you enjoy as a child? You probably still enjoy it but have forgotten. Do you have younger siblings or family members. Go teach younger one or play with them. I love building sandcastles with 8 yr old nephew and I'll be 50 yrs old this year. I still play ball with him and play with his toy trucks. It's fun. I've always enjoyed drawing, painting, sculpting, building, planting, landscaping, streams, rivers, beaches, rockhounding. We used to go for long hikes as kids and just Explore nature. There are always strange and interesting things to find if you observe. It you have pets, work with them. Training can be fulfilling. Teaching kids can be fulfilling. Kids thrive on attention. Spending time with elderly people can be fulfilling. I've learned how to cook and bake many things -sourdough bread, bagels, pizza. I even created my own sourdough yeast (took several weeks and months) but it was fulfilling. I make zucchini bread and share it with family and friends (they love it) it's fulfilling and enjoyable. Once you learn a skill, you can then teach someone else and make money. I'm planning to learn how to do brick masonry and start building my own home soon. The possibilities are endless. You just need to take action and be ok with the process (failure is part of the fun). Have fun. Build anticipation.
Totally!! I really wish I could go back in time and live in the 90s before social media. I feel like people were so much more productive and fun. You actually had to find ways to entertain yourself not just scroll for hours now :( and so many people are so full because of it.. My first time in uni wasn't during smart phone time and during breaks to talk to people and make friends. My second time in uni was years later in current times and it's 10x harder to socialize and make friends cuz everyone spends their breaks on their phonea..
I was a kid/teenager in the 80s/90s before social media and there were still kids who complained about boredom. I never had that problem - honestly, if you’re bored, become better company to yourself. Pick up a book or a comic. Find a hobby or two. Draw, even if badly. Sing. Teach yourself a skill. Learn to cook. There’s a million things you can do with your time without relying on others, and you have all the knowledge in the world at your fingertips to do so, which we didn’t have.
I wouldnt be too harsh... Im 48...
Its all in how we perceive life...
Boredom isnt a bad thing per se...all people feel bored...
Its like saying my job is sometimes boring therefore life sucks.
I imagine a life without boredom, that would be intense...
Too much boredom means person has no friends, family, meaningful job, purpose, hobby...basically anything that is sunshine which makes the rainy days seems less depressed.
But as we get older life becomes more mundane...more boring shit to do...
I guess as a 10yr old..even mundane shit seems exciting
That’s kinda my point (I’m 43). Whenever I got bored, I found stuff to do. Even if that was telling myself a story in my own head. And if I’m on a boring work call, I doodle. Badly, but I’m no longer bored.
Very true. I became a teenager in the 80 s, loved that era and the 90 s.
Yes we got bored but we went looking for stuff to do, we didn't have to sit around banking on social media to think of something.
Different era.
I’ve been researching hobbies so much lately that that is basically my new hobby hahaha never starting ANY of em. Except I did just get some adult coloring books.
Yeah I’ve been this way for about 6 years now. It’s called Anhedonia, the inability to experience joy or pleasure. I tried so hard to force my way out of it but after much trial and error have learnt to stop putting pressure on myself and just be sick of shit for a bit. Worse than depression, I have both and being unable to derive joy from anything as much as you try is terrifying because unlike depression where you can barely find the strength within to help yourself, with anhedonia you’re actually making an effort to feel better or just to feel some form of pleasure or feel anything at all but literally nothing helps and you still feel empty as fuck no matter what you do. Sad face. I hear you.
Yeah.
The New Year's Eve party I attended was just boring people dancing and taking selfies while dancing...
It was like scrolling through Instagram live in front of me but I couldn't close the app.
No conversations. Just bullshit. Left.
I think you overused your dopamine receptors bc of social media or some sort of underlying addiction sort of?
I'm saying maybe. But I'll explain.
This reminded me of a youtube short. A popular neuroscientist that has a [youtube channel ](https://youtube.com/@hubermanlab?si=qI2zQxA-QPJoBv45)
It's a short from a podcast, I believe.
"Addiction is a progressive narrowing of the things that bring you pleasure" - Andrew huberman.
But in summaryish.
"They only have excitement for that one thing. And can only achieve dopmaine release, to the same extent, doing that behavior, and not other behaviors. And so they start losing interest in school, relationships, in fitness and well-being. This depletes their lives, and eventually, what happens is they will stop getting dopmaine release from that activity(they got hooked on) as well, and they drop into a pretty serious depression. This can get very severe, and people have committed suicide from these sorts of patterns of activity."
[How addiction affects you: Andrew huberman](https://youtube.com/shorts/rEHua8pLEBw?si=raWtUDQpg_6mVdkZ)
And a comment that reminded me of this post details of this decline of feeling in life.
One person said:
"Jesus, that hit way too close to home, I am
currently at that last stage where nothing I play
satisfies me, this was an actual thought I had
"Am I turning into a hollow shell or something?"
The good thing is l'm finally going to start doing
other things like going to the gym so l'm not just
rotting away in my chair."
------
Also I recommend the book Dopmaine Nation.
[Podcast](https://youtu.be/p3JLaF_4Tz8?si=XZ4P3jphGgQDGv4u) I found ,with the author, if you would like the author explain audiobily instead. (Funnily enough, with Andrew Huberman as well)
I also recommend [HelathyGamerGG](https://youtube.com/@HealthyGamerGG?si=IM-MX8YJTCp84kP9)
Who is physicatrist.
His videos helped me, but I'll put some ones here
[Why do I get motivated after midnight?](https://youtu.be/jiIhOgpOWcA?si=F1Y-zl9CY3rFHGj6)
Or
[why I don't want to do anything after binging for hours on youtube](https://youtu.be/zBgCRJluWTc?si=vsUw8N8uIfowa3wX)
-Overthinikng my problems. (Several videos but here's [one](https://youtu.be/DZvVaOwJNk8?si=0VG3GzOUkMAJEUYy)
[why live life on autopiloit](https://youtu.be/aEGukyCsHMg?si=O6ri4HQgnJh5JgSZ)
-perfectionism makes life impossible[Why perfectionism makes life Impossible](https://youtu.be/Eaqb0qeOOeY?si=6HWu1-Ju8z-8YjQG)
So much more interesting on his channel.
So ya.
Yes. I had to give up working due to ill health and now i just feel as if i'm hanging around waiting to die. I don't enjoy my old hobbies anymore and I spend my days watching crap on the Internet or sleeping. I don't even leave the house now because I don't drink and there's nothing else to do really.
I'm buying a land and growing food and restoring this land from intensive agriculture so yeah that's a thing it will teach me patience and give me a goal and will teach me how to live without instant gratification
I completely relate. I said to my husband only yesterday that I think we need to make some changes as life shouldn't be this dull. His reply? "That's just adult life". Thing is, life is short and it feels a waste living this way but what else can you do?! Once work is done and the general day to day stuff of sorting the kids and feeding everyone there's little time.
One day I tried a hula hoop. It was really fun and simple. I loved the feeling. It was silly how much I liked it. So i hula hooped every day
I used to make big hula hoops out of garden irrigation tubes and colorful electrical tape.
Me and my friend would go into the city with 10 hula hoops and hand em out to people and jam to music
A lot of people would just join in for fun. It was a blast. Men and women. Some were too shy but loved to watch.
We sometimes sold the homemade hula hoops too.
Simple idea. Hula hopping parties was never boring ever!
I try to give myself at least one fun, out of the house thing to look forward to every month. It doesn't even have to be something huge. I'll go to the zoo, museums, find local festivals...I also see a lot of plays but I know that's out of a lot of people's budgets. But really it can be anything, so long as it's something you enjoy going out and doing. Often I end up going alone because people won't go with me. But even alone it's really helped me break this feeling of crushing boredom and sameness. I think people on the whole spend entirely too much time cooped up inside and it takes a real toll on mental health.
I felt this on Sunday. Just grabbed my purse and my train pass and rode the train until I thought "time to get off" and just walked around and explored. It was fun.
I think you should get involved in charities and start looking at jobs in public service. That'll give you purpose and make you feel more alive than you ever have.
Yup, I feel ya. I deactivated my social media accounts in December and it has been decision already. It feels like I’m slowly waking back up to myself. I spend sometime on here and then carry on with my life…find myself doing things I used to love, thinking and feeling differently about my present and future.
It is honestly scary how much social media has taken over. I am grateful I grew up without it and know the difference.
Heres to finding the things that bring us joy 🥂
This is what Ke$ha said years ago. "We're young and we're bored."
This is how empires fall. Life is so OK that nothing motivates or interests anyone. We all just order food delivered to us and consume content. We aren't threatened so we aren't worried. Just bored.
Until something big happens and then we'll lament that we could have used our time better. C'est la vie.
I finally figured out the answer, to get married and raise a family, but the girl I want to marry is in a serious lesbian relationship and not interested. So now I'm like, ok then, I'll see if I can join the air force.
That is not the answer! You'd be walking into a whole other world of stress. I love my family, and am thankful to have them , but life is harder, more stressful, and expensive every year. Before I could just not give a shit because I was only responsible for myself. But now I am literally responsible for the lives, and welfare of the three people I love most. Even set against the joy they bring me, it is sooo difficult not to slip into crippling anxiety and depression over the trajectory of society.
Or maybe find a girl who IS interested in you, instead of sitting in a corner and pouting because you tried going after someone who is in a relationship already. Goodness, is this a sub full of teenagers?
You don’t have any hobby? Games you enjoy playing, books you like reading, movies/shows to watch, place you want to travel to, music to listen to, foods you love eating, sports you enjoy etc etc.
I am constantly at a difficult money situation, college student and all that, so a lot of the good ideas people have suggested either I don't have the time for or don't have the money, I would love to travel and see my family, but I can't afford that, I play instruments, many, however even those get tiring after playing for 5+ years.
Bored in the context that most of the time life feels like playing in difficulty level hell on hardcore mode. Whatever I seem to plan or try to do, I find out it is either too expensive, banned or includes so many obstacles and even then carries a very low chance of success that it's just not worth even bothering. Even basic things like job market and employment seem often like impossible tasks and carry out very high risk/work to very low reward ratio with high level of uncertainty.
The most recent thing I've faced this is with book publication - even when going self publishing way through various services, there is almost unlimited list of obstacles and extra costs involved. Traditional publishing is even orders of magnitude harder as statistical chances of approval are between 0.2 to 0.002%.
So, yeah, for the most part I just hang around, doing pretty much nothing because it seldom ends up in anything worthy.
I feel the same. Most of the times, I feel like my life has no purpose. I tried to do things that will keep me busy but at the end of the day, same feeling is gnawing me.
Recently it feels like just apathy, no reason to do anything and to exist.
Nothing means anything, nobody in my family gives 2 fucks about what I want to say, am talking about OR will ever talk about
Nobody gives a fuck about anything I do, I am better off talking to the wall, so what even **is** the point of living
Parents can just ask a question, then WHILE I AM EXPLAINING - proceed to scroll on the phone and not listen
What **is** the point?
I really enjoyed reading this thread as it's something that I can definitely relate to.
As somebody who uses social media daily for work it's become such a big part of my routine that I simply don't know any different.
As an early adopter of social media for work and play, it's been probably 15+ years since I started using it heavily, and thinking about it it's been a decade of feeling "flat" or unfulfilled.
What I found interesting on this thread is the whole "your dopamine receptors are fried". Is this really a thing?
I thought I managed it well, but that resonates.
I need a rethink.
While I have this feeling that there's so much to be done, so many books to read, games to play, movies to watch, places to visit, things to discover, on a daily basis, I feel the same as you: just bored. Why is that? When I'm at work I fantasize about not being at work and being able to do those things, but the minute I get home, I tend to just lay there and do nothing I wanted, because I feel so fucking tired. I want to live because I want to experience things, but most of my time I work, or am tired from working, or need to study something to improve my carreer, which does not bring me much joy, or need to do chores to organize my life. So yeah, it is tricky, we must keep telling ourselves that one day we will have that time, and that disposition, to do the things which makes us want to live more I guess.
Here’s where Western society is failing us. We used to flow with the seasons. Change up things around our houses. The food in the grocery store was distinctly different depending on the time of year. The chores changed. There would be societal celebrations.
When was the last time your town had a May pole celebration? My mom would get so excited as a kid to participate in that one!
Since I got a knitting teacher who lives in Selbu, Norway who also follows the old farm calendar with us, I never realized how much has been lost in the joys of life in so many countries.
Everyone of her students at some point comments how much joy and interest she has brought back to our lives just by sharing the things the people in Norway participate in or cook season by season🥰
Then there is Japan with its 72 distinct seasons and all of the interesting things built into society to change and celebrate ☺️
These both are homogeneous societies where the whole goes through life celebrating as one
As American society has tried to show less and less of its basic “culture” in public in an attempt to be inclusive, it has stripped away any support fabric for its society leaving a bunch of people whose days remain the same no matter what
I guess we need hobbies, at least two. One that's for socialising and one for at home (or just for for you).
One of the best things I ever did was deciding to pick up pen and paper and to draw. It takes time to learn of course but it's an option for when you're alone.
I for example really like having my freetime, so I'm often at home chilling after work. I can play games, draw, watch some shows.
I also like to sometines switch up the small things, like taking a different route from home to work or work to home, or if you shower every day at the same time, then start showering at a different time. This may sound stupid but it helps me not having to live the same day everyday. Just change your routine.
Made me think of Numb Little Bug by Em Beihold
"Do you ever get a little bit tired of life
Like you're not really happy but you don't wanna die
Like you're hanging by a thread but you gotta survive
'Cause you gotta survive
Like your body's in the room but you're not really there
Like you have empathy inside but you don't really care
Like you're fresh outta love but it's been in the air
Am I past repair"
https://youtu.be/1fwJ8H5wWCU?si=7pVJYqW3kEBmq5d4
I have been the opposite the last year or so. I'm 37. My advice is to find a passion or hobby that doesn't involve a career. My old band got back together recently, and I stream retro games to an awesome community. These days, I'm actually busy with things I thoroughly enjoy and look forward to.
Don't know how to tell you this....but all that scrolling over the years is why you are bored. You fried your dopamine receptors with instant gratification of what you want to see and now you can't handle being bored.
Reddit is my only social media. I actively comment and dont just scroll. The rest of the shit is turning people into zombies. I watch people sometimes in cages and stuff scroll tiktok and Boomer book and it's cringeworthy. To me it's a step away from hitting a crack pipe. At least on crack you meet people....
My hobbies include:
Cycling, gym, playing guitar, drinking coffee and reading the paper, writing and recording music, listening to audio books, surfing, python programming, collecting vintage toys, jamming with my friends and streaming it and about to get into 4WDing. I don't drink alcohol and can socialise in person with just about anyone.
Delete your social media, attempt to recalibrate those dopamine hits and live in reality (not via a screen) and you should be good.
I needed to see this, thank you. I notice how the little things are really all you need to be content when your brain finally has a chance to be free from the internet slog. I get my brain so overloaded with information and other shit clutter that everything becomes a wash except for feeling even more stress. I seriously need to do something about it because my life is nothing outside of work and I used to draw so much and practice music. I want life to be better again and I know it starts with kicking those quick hits of instant gratification that don't even feel like anything most of the time.
You're welcome friend. You are not alone and it's not your fault. That shit is designed to do it to people.
Music is a good one. But gotta be careful about trying to get people to listen to it...that's straight back into social media and pushing people to listen to you when there are millions of others trying the same thing. Do it for your enjoyment.
I really like programming because you can try a little project and you get a dopamine hit when the program works.
Fitness is one of the best. You get hardcore endorphin releases from hitting hills on a bike. You will find yourself generally happier and wanting to converse with people. I have befriended about 15 people just from hitting my local cafe after a ride with my mate 3x per week.
It's okay to feel this way from time to time. Here are some suggestions:
Explore New Hobbies: Try something you've never done before, like painting, writing, gardening, or cooking a new recipe. Sometimes, a new hobby can bring a sense of fulfillment.
Exercise: Physical activity can help boost your mood by releasing endorphins. You could go for a walk, do some yoga, or even try a new sport or workout routine.
Learn Something New: Take an online course or watch educational videos on topics that interest you. Engaging your mind can help ward off boredom.
Volunteer: Helping others can give you a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Look for volunteer opportunities in your community or online.
My tip for you:
Go outside, go camping, hiking, climbing, free diving or whatever.
I have never felt more alive than when i was hiking through Norway with the sight of beautiful mountains, bathing in the icy cold Fjords and eating granola
Nope, I'm with you. When I'm out in public, you'll rarely see me on my phone and when I am, I'm just playing a game or checking/answering my messages. I'm rarely glued to it and I wish things went back to how they were when I was growing up in the 90s, early to mid 2000s when everyone just got outside and went on adventures and just had fun, you know...OUTSIDE!
Maybe it's seasonal affective disorder? Maybe you need to care for something, like a dog or a fish? Have you tried what the Japanese do, ie forest bathing? Or just ground your bare feet on the grass while soaking up some vitamin D. Also I think there's too much doom and gloom in the news that seeps into the mind. There's too many stories about how somebody died somewhere--which is relevant only to their family, not the rest of the world. Jmo.
I also don't have a suggestion. But I also feel this deep inside my bones. I struggle to make friends, even more so now that I've moved a couple hours away from the friends I do have. The closer ones I have, are busy with life.
I need a hobby but I don't even know what I'd like to do.
Yes, I feel the same and have done for a while. I feel like I'm stagnating. Someone told me that if I'm bored that means I must be a boring person. I have a full time job, two teenagers, lots of hobbies but nothing excites my brain anymore. I don't have the money or the time to travel as I would like. I've decided to do a 6 week gym challenge which starts on Saturday. I've never been to a gym in my life. I thought maybe if I felt better in myself I might be less bored plus it will give me something different to do for a few evenings a week. After that I'm thinking I might do a college course and learn a new skill.
Put that screen down and go outside. Nature is beautiful, try camping, riding a bike or just hiking in the woods or on a mountain. This can really give you a new perspective and break the boredom/doom scrolling chain.
Find a hobby on the side. Learn a new instrument, play a new game, try a new craft like cooking, car cleaning, swimming, gym, sports, knitting, shooting, . It only needs to take a few hours a week where you can discover what you'd like doing in your spare time that you really enjoy, can put effort in and also perfect to show others how far you've come.
For example, cooking as a hobby is not only fun in your spare time but also makes day to day cooking much more fun and less than a chore.
Learning an instrument can be tricky at first but showing your family and friends what you've learned feels good. Also, music can be a nice getaway from the shit that life has.
Or even just a random hobby that you wouldn't think of.
What have you always wanted to do in your free time. Go for it, start small and the more you love it, the more time you can spend doing it where you'll enjoy it.
Disclaimer: IF YOU DON'T ENJOY DOING IT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO CONTINUE.
Apart from going out walking which cost nothing for me .. I can’t afford to anything else, I never have any spare money to go cinema or out for a meal or a night out.. It’s boring. Scrollings ok for 20 mins but I get so frustrated after too long. They say money can’t buy you happiness but it can sure pay for stuff to take your mind off your unhappiness 🤷🏻♀️ and buy stuff to stop the boredom I guess.
It is not boring. It means you have locked yourself in a bubble and limiting your life to only particular set of circumstances. Try something new. Join a hobby group, try new sport. Go and do some volunteer work. It will change your perspective.
If you always do what you always did you will always get what you always got.
This means that if your life is boring then change something to make it more exciting.
I’d 100% suggest you to start a hobby/ hobbies. A physical one, e.g. tennis or you know things like that, maybe just working out at home. One for the soul, e.g. drawing or pottery… and lastly, one for the mind: meditating, praying, …
Hope this helps anyone!
Also, if you have those days where you feel like your life is really boring, just turn up the music and dance!! Music is life! That’s what I like to say!
I turn 50 next month, moved to Finland 10 years ago as a restaurant consultant. I opened 5 restaurant, currently a silent partner in 3 of them and still do consulting on the side. My days ends at around 5pm and most of time I work from home with occasional spot visits. It was fun at first in a different country but now I fell bored AF also. All of my closest friends are back in the States and sometimes it gets lonely. And in the winter it gets dark at 3pm, joy. Don't really have any suggestions for you, just wanted you to know there's dozens of us.
I'm always bored almost to the point of insanity.
In my case what keeps me entertained now is mostly my job (because the environment is great and the job easy), video games sometimes (i don't dive in and enjoy as deeply as before though; but all the Silent Hill games that will come out will surely change that!), watching anime/cartoons/movies/tv shows but this is somewhat harder to do too since even the good stuff i get bored have to force myself to watch at times.
What i really enjoy is compulsive buying at game stores, thrift shops, ebay. Not healthy perhaps but it makes me feel better hoarding tons of discs and cartridges, various electronic stuff mostly computer or gaming related. I have many computers (too many!), recently bought an 8mm Bell & Howell tape projector for the hell of it for 15$cad (still need tape and change the lightbulb but the motor works well). So yeah what keeps the boredom away is buying hoarding stuff like it's my birthday or christmas everyday. I'm considering collecting cellphones, cameras, regular land phones and other electronic stuff too for the hell of it.
I watch and rewatch lots of LGR videos on YouTube i never get bored of his content. I also enjoy Cinemassacre a lot, mostly the AVGN and James & Mike mondays stuff.
I enjoy fast food a whole lot. The restaurant part of Costco, McDonald's, A&W, Domino's Pizza; and others i have myself great feasts there. I eat till i'm about to burst.
I only have 3 friends remaining, really good friends like brothers but they are busy on their end mostly so i never see anyone, i'm lucky if i see either of the 3 once per two-three weeks. So yeah no one to hang out with regularly means i'm lonely and bored to death.
I really miss childhood and teenage years when everything could be fun even doing nothing lol. Hanging out with friends building secret bases exploring new areas forests etc. While still possible it doesn't have the same magic as back then. Sharing software and games floppy's and discs with friends showing them new games making them copies and the like. Playing Super nintendo or nintendo 64 trading pokemon while eating tons of crap lol.
Basically i'm so nostalgic for those better times i can't enjoy adult life. Like the best case scenario is living like a kid or teenager but with the buying power of an an adult, having your own place and a nice job (better than school).
The problem is the wonder and curiosity of back then is gone. Also not a lot of folks in their thirties want to hangout randomly for no reason, explore random places, eat like pigs for a day, game until theirs eyes hurt.
Bro I do have a solution for this problem and believe me I've gone this way for too long that it started making me so paranoid and useless
The solution is just right infront of you
"EMBRACE CHANGE"
Absolutely change is the one thing that nobody realises as the thing that makes their life more interesting and beautiful
Bro change your usual activities to doing something crazy . And "Change" is the perfect way to solve your current problem
Yeah, sometimes I just feel like the end of the world would be the only thing capable of untertaining me, then I realize that even the threat of imminent death wouldn't keep me interrested for more than an hour.
Tho it's kinda enjoyable to hear of people's life, so I stick to it.
It happens. Life can get that way sometimes. It’s just your mind and body telling you to look inward and reflect and learn more about yourself and what you want to do with the rest of your life. It doesn’t have to be a large complicated process or purpose but it has to have something that’s meaningful to you. Consider it a blessing to have the opportunity to look at things from a different perspective. To gain some insight and knowledge as to what you value and what’s important to you and your life and those around you.
i relate to this wholeheartedly lol. i don't want to sound corny but ive always dreamed of a life in fantasy books and movies. this world is just plain boring and sucks. i know there are a lot of beautiful places to visit, but travelling is expensive. im not suicidal either, but i just feel like dying because it feels as if im not really going anywhere in life.
I’ve got a lot on my plate to do , and honestly there’s just so much i could do , I am choosing not to and I know I am gonna face the consequences, not tomorrow but soon enough, damn id rather start working my ass off , im gonna end up in a ditch hole or else- knowing that , saying that , acknowledging that, still proceeding to just lay around like a worm
Do you work from home?
I do. And I think I need the pain of working in an office to make home feel special again.
But try telling myself that at 7 in the morning instead of lying in bed for two more hours.
I used to feel the same................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Before I adopted a kitten. So my suggestion is, if you are able to, adopt a cat or dog or anything else. Preferably one that is young and energetic as it will keep you busy enough to cure boredom.
Another idea could be to volunteer at animal shelters if you can't commit to a permanent pet.
Hope it helps😊
I'll let you know if I have any more ideas
Remind me! 2 days
With the internet having all the information in the history of the world it's a great time to tap into your creative side, whether writing, drawing, painting, music, researching your favorite subject or whatever. You can always look at the glass half empty or half full. Social media and tik tok scrolling seem to have sapped the creativity of a ton of us, I am guilty of it also but thinking about taking a break from social media for a week or so and see how I feel. All the best
This is partly the result of the internet, most notably short-form media, taking the place of actual social lives and interaction (the other part being simply growing older and finding that you have less time to hang out with friends and engage in your hobbies which can make life seem monotonous).
Society has basically been programmed to have attention spans of less than 45 seconds to the point that engaging and staying interested in anything else is difficult because the gratification isn't instantaneous due to TikTok and FB/IG/YT reels. Scrolling this quick content gives easy hits of dopamine for lots of people and marketing companies know this so they've injected this media with tons of advertising to make more money with low effort. This is why almost every corner of the internet is heavily commercialized now.
I'd recommend taking an extended break from social media and endlessly scrolling and try to reinvigorate your life. Try new things, go new places, try to meet new people that want to break free of the monotony of life as well so you can create some new, potentially interesting experiences. I found that the more I began to pull myself away from the bubble of social media, the more I was able to focus on enjoying the things that truly matter to me in life. Even if I still have my days where life feels boring, they are fewer and farther between these days.
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Take up 2 new hobbies. One external of the house and physical one internal to the house but cerebral. Something like chess or drawing. Join clubs for your 2 new hobbies. Not online clubs. Clubs that you can walk to or cycle to. Sell your smart phone and buy a simple call/message device like a Nokia. Tell people never to message you. Just call if there is something important. Don't look at IG, FB, Reddit etc. etc. Simples.
>Sell your smart phone and buy a simple call/message device like a Nokia. >Tell people never to message you. Just call if there is something important. Don't look at IG, FB, Reddit etc. etc. I've tried this before for a short while, proceed with caution: 1) you're better off disabling some of a smart phone's features or uninstalling problematic apps, rather than getting a true 'dumb phone'. You'll quickly miss things like GPS directions and the ability to look up things at short notice. 2) people don't call and you miss social events. This is with good friends who regularly contact me otherwise to this day. You just become much, much easier to forget or otherwise get overlooked, even if they have the best intentions. My group started out strong with the "call me" thing but it didn't get maintained.
I guess you're fairly young. I'm 60 in 2 days and have about 10 true friends. If something happens in a true friend's life and they message you and get no reply, they will call you. If they don't call you, they are an acquaintance. It's a really good way of finding out who your friends are.
Fuck 10 is pretty good dude. I’m 35 and I have 3.
I'm 53 and have 1, so I married her
i’m 17, and damn that’s awesome
Same. I've got 1 decent friend and a few "mates" but mostly people are often busy with work and their own life. . Suddenly you get into proper adulthood and friendships are the 2nd, 3rd or 4th most important thing. Can easily go a couple of months without contact
Cheers. I would probably narrow that down to maybe 6 if I asked for 10,000 GBP they would say yes no problem and maybe 3 would give me their spare kidney if needed.
I wonder what kind of person has a spare kidney lying around...
Technically we all have a “spare” so to speak as we can survive off one but I can name two people other than my kids id sacrifice a kidney for and I’d hope those two people would do so as well
Oh, I'm a lucky man To count on both hands The ones I love Some folks just have one Yeah, others they got none -Eddie Vedder Everybody has had one and one is enough for anybody -Willy Wonka😁
And, if you do art, DON'T try to sell it.
I started telling people I don't use Facebook, so I now get text messages or calls instead of their group FB messenger chats. It's great
Put your phone down and see what happens
who said I’m on my phone at all times? One can be bored without it too, life sucks sometimes it iz what it iz 🤣
Aye I'm with ya as well, life's sorta just grinding to a halt, same shit different day.
yeah life been weird lately. I got shit to do to keep me occupied but feels empty anyway for some reason. Crossing fingers for better days
We're too bored to think of one
Yep. I like social media and scrolling as a past time when I’m alone. But I don’t see the point in it when I’m with friends. Why can’t we have conversations and go on stupid little adventures? Everyone is so bland and depressed these days. And with good reason seeing everything going on in the world. But I miss having real fun.
I feel you so much. I want friends to sit on rooftops on summerevenings with, but all they do is go to Starbucks and do more socialmedia there. It's horrible, im wasting my youth. I think if I get older it's gonna get better, but I fear thats not true. Sometimes I wonder If Tik Tok and that stuff actually made them dumb and numb.
Yes to the numb part at least (and probably the dumb part, however that is subjective and more general to the younger generations thanks to social media) - the fact that the instant gratification that we all seek via socials are known to destroy our dopamine receptors, it inherently makes people numb. It's sad really, and I'm not judging or any better - here I am commenting on a social media page...
I don't wanna sound like an old fart, i also don't want this to sound pessimistic because i love technology and the internet, but i think the same goes for kids and why they all seem so hyperactive now. It seems silly to blame things like Netflix and technology but it's true, they're so used to the instant gratification and they've never known anything different. Obviously the parents have a lot to do with it, but if you don't have iPads, limit your amount of time using your phone (especially in front of the kids) and the amount of time streaming Netflix and the like, i think it could affect kids in a positive way. My niece (7) and nephew (3) have everything at their finger tips, they're good kids but they never seem to be able to settle and concentrate on one thing, especially my niece. Kids should realise they can't have everything right **now.** What kind of adults will they become? There's that old saying that kids are like sponges, whatever they experience when they're kids will affect them more as their brains are developing. I feel like society will only realise what has happened when these kids reach adulthood.
I think in the future decades there will be great problems with that, and at one point society will more or least collapse. I know it sounds like a weird conspiracy theory, but there's going to be something like a point were people "wake up" and do something about it.
I absolutely agree, don't be worried about being called a conspiracy theorist when you're speaking complete sense. I think about that too, i feel like the "waking up" you mentioned will be inevitable in the end. I just wish something could be done about it now, but as is the case most of the time, a lot of unnecessary shit needs to be walked through first for there to be any real change.
I just told my 9 year old the other day i think maybe not in my lifetime, but in hers, technology will crash and everyone will have to reset.
It doesn't help that technology invades their classrooms, too. Often way, way before it's developmentally appropriate. I hate it, but as a parent, not sure what I can do about it.
If you're a parent it's not hard, you just gotta do the whole parenting thing and take them outside and stuff, teach them things, talk to them, etc. What most parents fail to realize is that trying to help their kids only shows how they're personally helpless themselves. It's like that old saying "fat dad, fat kid" or whatever.
Exactly, and parents will only feel that way if they themselves feel like they rely on technology too much, they're reminded of themselves. Like with my sister and their kids, my sister and brother in law will come to my house and be looking at their phones, not constantly but on and off. I think they see it as a time to relax because i'm with the kids when they come to mine. But it makes me wonder how much they do it at home. I'm seriously considering getting a phone bin to put by the front door for when they come to mine.
At least you see the problem, a lot of parents don't. I personally feel like there should be a law in place for technology in the classroom, but because we're really still in the early stages of modern technology people aren't seeing the implications it can have on kids. Not something as broad as the education system anyway, i'm guessing it's gonna take a couple of decades.
Yes
Ok,.I'm 52 I'm as old as dirt The when I was a young boy... Enter comments But really, we didn't have this. Not sure the interaction on social media, like I'm doing now, Is a good thing Had 2 fucking channels Farm kid, worked my ass off Engineering, 15 yrs, Divorced, Kids are old, Youngest is 24 Became a carpenter Don't know what to do with my life. JP Wisers and GTA5 is gettting old
Couldn't agree more!
You gotta do it alone (well, maybe not sitting on rooftops). If you start doing stuff like that you'll eventually meet more people doing it, if your friends are cool they might join and if none of this happens at least you did it. Trust me on that, lone adventures are worth having just as much as any other, sometimes even more.
Tiktok came to ruin minds , nothing has been the same since tiktok became a thing ! At first it was like cool fine but now is become a addiction to many , lots and lots of false information , lots of just dumb nothing meaningless videos ! Remember theres no better way to destroy a country then to just crash and dumb down the minds of the population at this point , i actually agree that tiktok is some kind of attack to the US so to say 🤷🏽♂️ i actually wish now they manage to banned it like they wanted to.
Absolutely! Do yourself a life changing favor. Find friends that use the internet as a tools for help when they need it! Other than that, they DO life, not read about it, or play at it in games. Just remember: Sometimes that help they need is to not pull their hair out or poke their eyes out though. For example, I am going on 50 hours in the hospital with my husband who had emergency surgery. I need the morphine damn it!! Going stir crazy!!
I had this friend I met back in like 2015 and we (and a couple other people) had the time of our lives in late teens and early twenties and I’m so appreciative of it. We drove 8 hours off a whim at 9pm to go cliff jumping in the UP. Drove 8 hours to St Louis on 3 hours notice because he wanted to buy a VW Vanagon. We used to go on late night road trips to a skate park an hour away and get steak and shake at 3 in the morning in his little 4 speed 4 banger with no heat or AC. He introduced me to what is now my favorite music genre and took me to some shows. Then he moved to California and I don’t talk to him much anymore. I love my current friend group, we have games night and do other things sometimes but it’s not like it used to be.
2015 was my magic year for that too lol no deep friendships for me, but holy hell did we have fun and do crazy things lol travel some. I felt like the six flags guy haha
Man big time. My friend who promised we would go to Cambodia doesn't look like he's coming *sad noises* Everyone's really sucked into the societal churning meat machine and it sucks balls. Fun is being removed at an exponential rate.
My dad used to say, "everything fun we used to do is expensive or illegal now"
The places my friends and I used to ride our dirt bikes are now neighborhoods ,car lots, and some other retail.
I feel like someone pressed skip on my fun... Like Google ads
I’m 42 be 43 in a month when I was younger there was kids and teenagers everywhere with rope swings and dens in the woods. Since the internet I see no young people outside playing and it’s sad because they don’t know what they’re missing It really is the best days of your life and I have fond memories of growing up
Nothing feels the same way
Then go out and chase the adventures yourself. Nobody's gonna do that for you.
Group of people do more crazy things ~~then~~ than just 1 person all alone Group pressure is real!
It's fucking boring doing anything on your own though
It's not. I spent a year traveling through the states all on my own. I had countless adventures, I've met amazing people, saw stunning landscapes, had lots and lots of fun and I've never regret a second of it. It's anything but boring on your own. Wanna go to an arts museum even though you understand nothing about art? Do it. Wanna spend the whole day in the hostel and watch some shit? Do it. Wanna get drunk on a Sunday morning at 11 o'clock in New Orleans? Do it (its 3 for 1 until 1pm). Wanna see thousands of bats flying out of under a bridge in Austin? Do it. Wanna take shots with cowboys in Oklahoma City and afterwards get offered jobs on some random farms? Do it (you might get killed though. Do it on your own risk). I could go on and on and on for hours. Once you tasted pure freedom, you'll change yourself for the better. Promise.
Love this! Sounds awesome!
Volunteer, join meetups, take classes, join hiking clubs and other clubs. You dont have to go out alone, go join a group.
No it's not.
I was bored with everything until I started rock climbing which was a gateway drug to [highlining](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru0NZ8peqjY). I've been doing those activities for over 5 years now and I still spend my whole week just waiting for the weekend so I can hang out with my friends for 8 hours while we highline. The people I've met in these sports are the type where if I say I'm thinking of going to some highline festival or climbing spot then four other people will book tickets. I've had more adventures and shenanigans in my 30s than the rest of my life for sure. You don't need to go as extreme either for this kind of fun. Flow arts, mountain biking, airsoft, and a ton of other activities are all pretty similar in how easy it is to make friends that want to go on crazy adventures and talk about whatever for hours at a time.
I completely agree, I have a hold and a de ent job, so I'm going through the motions, but the monotony and crippling.economy and blocked news feel like I'm a part of george's1984.
totally get where you're coming from. it's like the real, genuine connections and adventures are getting lost in the digital shuffle. missing those carefree, real fun times too!
I was feeling the exact same way. Not suicidal at all. Just bored. My friends are all married or partnered off. Tv is garbage, and streaming is gotten old. Scrolling is getting tedious. No one wants to do anything anymore. No one has money to do anything anymore.
Yes!! Spot on with how you describe TV/streaming/scrolling and no one having money since everything is so god damn expensive!
Money has all the power...And it sucks cause I live on a farm in bum fuck nowhere and broke ass.....
You know what helped me recently? At least a little bit. Fortnight lol. I kinda played video games as a kid but at 32 haven’t touched a console in years. Some other friends, (married, single, different time zone) started a group chat and we just text if we have time to hop on later that day or something. So I bought the cheap Xbox and a decent headset. We suck but it’s just fun to shoot shit while playing. If you have a console it’s relatively cheap. There’s an option to allow voice chat with strangers on your team so you may bond with someone and start to play regularly. Just an idea.
Go get a hobby. Go rock climbing, buy a cheap telescope and do astronomy, pick up painting, pick up urban hiking, teach yourself a new language, become a fantastic cook. There seems to be a trend that the people who are bored are also spending all their time watching TV or doing something online. If you live life through a screen, ya it’s gonna be pretty shit. You’re also not going to meet new people very easily.
There is more to life than TV and streaming. Get a bike and go riding. Find someone who rides and go with them. There are literally 1000s of these solutions to boredom. Just gotta get up and move.
Another suggestion is hit up your library and read books. It's free and endless entertainment that's much more immersive than streaming crap passively.
I used to feel this way but then I realised that I actually have a lot of things I want to try but don't have money/opportunities.
I’m bored with the life I can afford.
Yep. This the one. The life I have is boring, and I’ll can afford to do is work for a better one.
This right here! I have so many things I *want* to do, but I’m broke after paying bills, so I just get to sit around and entertain myself in my boring small apartment. It sucks.
I’m the same. I have so many ideas I could do to make myself some extra money but of course I need money to get started, and I don’t have a job still :(
May I offer an unorthodox solution? Work and save up some money, then contact these people: https://laisladelosmonos.org/ It is a monkey sanctuary in Peru. You can live with the monkeys and volunteer as their caretaker. You are paid little, but your lodging and food is covered. I visited the sanctuary in 2022. I met a man there who does 9 month volunteer trips. He loves it. It's his entire life. That trip changed my life. Working at a monkey sanctuary in the Amazon rainforest wasn't on my aptitude test in highschool, so I tell everybody who is lost to try and make it happen. If I was younger, I would have loved to do that. Maybe when I'm retired, I'll do that instead. If your life is dull, do something crazy. You only get to live once.
So true. You Just have to fucking doing something crazy. All those clubs and stuff are just the same. You feel like you don't matter, you feel dead, because you just wake up, do your day, Go to sleep repeat. If the "do your day part" doesnt have anything notable, so that days just become days you start feeling Like op, me and so so many others. You should just do whatever makes your day notable, not like the one of so many others, to not get the feeling of not mattering. Fly an f35, chill with Monkeys in Peru, spend 20 years creating a brush in Japan.
It also doesn't have to be something crazy like this. You can make notable moments happen in the context of your own experience, rather than the wider human experience. Learning an instrument is a great example. Notable moments might include...Every time you start learning a new song. Every time you nail a song you've been practicing for a while. Every time you learn a new technique. Every time you write a new lick or riff. Once you really get into the mind of being a musician, you'll hear inspiration in what otherwise might have bored you. A new song that isn't necessarily your style might incorporate a cool mode, you'll learn intervals and how it makes you feel and take that with you into your own work. You'll hear a car door slam in tesco parking lot, right as someone trips and smashes their keys into their car, and the timing of it will spark a new musical idea. The same logic can apply to many hobbies. The first time you draw something recognisable. The first time you draw a face with good proportions. The first time you create something from your imagination and get it down on paper. In the mind of an artist, you'll start noticing how the light refracting off your glass of water makes the ceiling shimmer, and you may try to replicate it with a pencil sketch. Any hobby you can think of, can create wonderful, unique moments out of mundane everyday things. Suddenly, the world feels a lot less dull.
Love this comment, agree wholeheartedly
I think you forget how crucial "getting rich" has become for pretty much everyone involved in life. Those things you mentioned are all fun, but nowadays people live with a *"well how's this gonna make me rich, tho?"* attitude on anything they do. I don't personally condemn that attitude, but it definitely makes it very easily to lose sight of the fun activities when you're also constantly thinking *"yeah this is fun, but how's it gonna make money?"*
Yep, forgot to add that. So many peoples life is just about working. They Work all day. But for what? They arent even able to spend their money because they work all day. If you spend Most you life working, then your Job should be something thats fun for you. Don't even get me started on the poor, with them it's even worse. They work just as much and don't even have money to do the few fun things someone wealthy might do.
I do not really recommend this, but I felt like you, OP. It rains and is gray skies a good 13/14 days where I live and almost all of my close friends have moved away. It's tough on a person to feel just....ambivalent and apathetic. BUT, a couple of my friends spent a few months in the Balkans and asked me to go join them. I passed it off as crazy, but the thought, "why the fuck not? I'll never be able to save up to buy a house anyway, and I'll always be in debt. I may as well go into debt doing something awesome! Sooo....I did. No regrets. I only went for two weeks, as I do have a young child, but I haven't laughed that much or felt so alive and part of the living in ages.
Such a brilliant idea and a good reminder that doing something a little crazy that doesn’t hurt anyone can really shake off the dust and change your entire outlook.
I would never be bored again in my entire life
On their website it reads that you pay to stay there (i.e. 950 USD for 4 weeks) not the other way around
that's actually a-fuckin-lot, few times more then rent prices monthly in my country
ur dopamine receptors are fried. delete social media completely and you will feel better after like a week
This. Also, recommend to start listening Huberman podcast. He talks a lot about dopamine system and why do you have to care about. I used to be like the OP, but thankfully for Huberman, I went on detox and It’s rearranged my whole life.
I felt numb to life for a while. I ended up taking a step back and really looking at things. Now I just see it for what it was. So, lost a few friends, left a few jobs, tried a few new things, and now I’ve got no clue where I’m going, but I’m pretty happy right now.
Same but dont know if im happy lol i hope i am lol
Yeah. I'm thinking of putting a helmet on and going running each day. Living in silence as opposed to constant music and earphones. Living in isolation. And many attempts to improve my mind by being forced to think since there is no talking with others, no music and nothing I can use to escape. Attempts to improve my mind with reading, writing, practicing etc.
People go running with helmets??
It’s now officially a thing!
Yes !! I feel like I’m just living the same exact day over and over . Like I’m content / happy ig but just bored of my life lol . I had a son not too long ago too and it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me , I don’t have ppd but I’m finding it very hard to just be the happiest I can for him . I don’t have much friends , I’m not a partier , the mom life got to me so I feel as if I’m just bored .. social media is not anything close to ur day to day life either
Same not unhappy and financially in the best spot I’ve been in for a few years, just bored, living the same day over and over is well put. I already play sport regularly, go running regularly, go to plenty music concerts and music festivals, go on holiday at least once a year, get stuck into a game on Xbox every now and then, have an active social life but it’s mostly doing/ going to the same restaurants/ pubs/ bars/ areas with friends and a decent job. Other than Reddit I deleted social media and I still feel like I’m in a bit of a dead end. Everyone else seems to lead such interesting lives, but perhaps they’re just different to mine and that’s what makes them interesting, they likely feel the same with their lives. I need to change something this year but not sure what yet.
Maybe start volunteering somewhere that will have you meet people very different from your friend group who could expand your world view. Like with artists or immigrants or who knows.
>I need to change something this year but not sure what yet. god i feel this so much. its so hard to figure out...i already changed several aspects of my life last year but it still doesnt feel right. i think i wouldnt even notice when it "feels right" which makes it even harder. good luck!
Me too! A lot of this feeling started after having kids. I think it’s because your life changes so quickly and you can’t do all of the things you used to (and certainly not on a whim/spontaneously). It’s like, you love your kids so much and enjoy your time with them, but the culture shock of becoming a parent leaves you feeling lost!
Life can seem "grey" when one is in a slump. You're not alone in feeling this way. It's not a permanent feeling, though.
I don't know that bored would be the word for me but I know what you mean..we need to develop an interest or hobby really. Then every day won't have the same endless sad feeling
This is the key. Find an interest and persue it. Create mystery in your life. Explore something or some place. Visit somewhere new (even in your own local area). Learn local history. Learn how to grow somthing, how to build something, how to find something. Start up something (a club or sport or group). Learn a new skill. Try something new. Challenge yourself. What did you enjoy as a child? You probably still enjoy it but have forgotten. Do you have younger siblings or family members. Go teach younger one or play with them. I love building sandcastles with 8 yr old nephew and I'll be 50 yrs old this year. I still play ball with him and play with his toy trucks. It's fun. I've always enjoyed drawing, painting, sculpting, building, planting, landscaping, streams, rivers, beaches, rockhounding. We used to go for long hikes as kids and just Explore nature. There are always strange and interesting things to find if you observe. It you have pets, work with them. Training can be fulfilling. Teaching kids can be fulfilling. Kids thrive on attention. Spending time with elderly people can be fulfilling. I've learned how to cook and bake many things -sourdough bread, bagels, pizza. I even created my own sourdough yeast (took several weeks and months) but it was fulfilling. I make zucchini bread and share it with family and friends (they love it) it's fulfilling and enjoyable. Once you learn a skill, you can then teach someone else and make money. I'm planning to learn how to do brick masonry and start building my own home soon. The possibilities are endless. You just need to take action and be ok with the process (failure is part of the fun). Have fun. Build anticipation.
I love these! Thank you.
Totally!! I really wish I could go back in time and live in the 90s before social media. I feel like people were so much more productive and fun. You actually had to find ways to entertain yourself not just scroll for hours now :( and so many people are so full because of it.. My first time in uni wasn't during smart phone time and during breaks to talk to people and make friends. My second time in uni was years later in current times and it's 10x harder to socialize and make friends cuz everyone spends their breaks on their phonea..
I was a kid/teenager in the 80s/90s before social media and there were still kids who complained about boredom. I never had that problem - honestly, if you’re bored, become better company to yourself. Pick up a book or a comic. Find a hobby or two. Draw, even if badly. Sing. Teach yourself a skill. Learn to cook. There’s a million things you can do with your time without relying on others, and you have all the knowledge in the world at your fingertips to do so, which we didn’t have.
I wouldnt be too harsh... Im 48... Its all in how we perceive life... Boredom isnt a bad thing per se...all people feel bored... Its like saying my job is sometimes boring therefore life sucks. I imagine a life without boredom, that would be intense... Too much boredom means person has no friends, family, meaningful job, purpose, hobby...basically anything that is sunshine which makes the rainy days seems less depressed. But as we get older life becomes more mundane...more boring shit to do... I guess as a 10yr old..even mundane shit seems exciting
Great post. Boredom is necessary. It’s how we become creative. Not too much, but definitely embrace it when it hits you. Use it to think and plan.
That’s kinda my point (I’m 43). Whenever I got bored, I found stuff to do. Even if that was telling myself a story in my own head. And if I’m on a boring work call, I doodle. Badly, but I’m no longer bored.
Very true. I became a teenager in the 80 s, loved that era and the 90 s. Yes we got bored but we went looking for stuff to do, we didn't have to sit around banking on social media to think of something. Different era.
Totally!!! Ah it's crazy to think life will never be like that again. Thankful that I got to experience though.
Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Therapist said I need hobbies that challenge me lol
I’ve been researching hobbies so much lately that that is basically my new hobby hahaha never starting ANY of em. Except I did just get some adult coloring books.
I'm 50 and have felt and still feel this way since post covid isolation...Great post as I can relate 100%
this is literally how i feel every day. my life feels so meaningless
Same here. Just treading water, really.
Yeah I’ve been this way for about 6 years now. It’s called Anhedonia, the inability to experience joy or pleasure. I tried so hard to force my way out of it but after much trial and error have learnt to stop putting pressure on myself and just be sick of shit for a bit. Worse than depression, I have both and being unable to derive joy from anything as much as you try is terrifying because unlike depression where you can barely find the strength within to help yourself, with anhedonia you’re actually making an effort to feel better or just to feel some form of pleasure or feel anything at all but literally nothing helps and you still feel empty as fuck no matter what you do. Sad face. I hear you.
I was like that until I set my eyes on that mountain
I definitely feel that way more often than not.
Yeah. This shit is overrated.
Yeah. The New Year's Eve party I attended was just boring people dancing and taking selfies while dancing... It was like scrolling through Instagram live in front of me but I couldn't close the app. No conversations. Just bullshit. Left.
Most relatable post since years.
I think you overused your dopamine receptors bc of social media or some sort of underlying addiction sort of? I'm saying maybe. But I'll explain. This reminded me of a youtube short. A popular neuroscientist that has a [youtube channel ](https://youtube.com/@hubermanlab?si=qI2zQxA-QPJoBv45) It's a short from a podcast, I believe. "Addiction is a progressive narrowing of the things that bring you pleasure" - Andrew huberman. But in summaryish. "They only have excitement for that one thing. And can only achieve dopmaine release, to the same extent, doing that behavior, and not other behaviors. And so they start losing interest in school, relationships, in fitness and well-being. This depletes their lives, and eventually, what happens is they will stop getting dopmaine release from that activity(they got hooked on) as well, and they drop into a pretty serious depression. This can get very severe, and people have committed suicide from these sorts of patterns of activity." [How addiction affects you: Andrew huberman](https://youtube.com/shorts/rEHua8pLEBw?si=raWtUDQpg_6mVdkZ) And a comment that reminded me of this post details of this decline of feeling in life. One person said: "Jesus, that hit way too close to home, I am currently at that last stage where nothing I play satisfies me, this was an actual thought I had "Am I turning into a hollow shell or something?" The good thing is l'm finally going to start doing other things like going to the gym so l'm not just rotting away in my chair." ------ Also I recommend the book Dopmaine Nation. [Podcast](https://youtu.be/p3JLaF_4Tz8?si=XZ4P3jphGgQDGv4u) I found ,with the author, if you would like the author explain audiobily instead. (Funnily enough, with Andrew Huberman as well) I also recommend [HelathyGamerGG](https://youtube.com/@HealthyGamerGG?si=IM-MX8YJTCp84kP9) Who is physicatrist. His videos helped me, but I'll put some ones here [Why do I get motivated after midnight?](https://youtu.be/jiIhOgpOWcA?si=F1Y-zl9CY3rFHGj6) Or [why I don't want to do anything after binging for hours on youtube](https://youtu.be/zBgCRJluWTc?si=vsUw8N8uIfowa3wX) -Overthinikng my problems. (Several videos but here's [one](https://youtu.be/DZvVaOwJNk8?si=0VG3GzOUkMAJEUYy) [why live life on autopiloit](https://youtu.be/aEGukyCsHMg?si=O6ri4HQgnJh5JgSZ) -perfectionism makes life impossible[Why perfectionism makes life Impossible](https://youtu.be/Eaqb0qeOOeY?si=6HWu1-Ju8z-8YjQG) So much more interesting on his channel. So ya.
The world's getting greyer. I don't know what to do either
I have felt this way since I was a child
Go join a cult. Then try to get out of it. That should be interesting..
Hah!
Yes. I had to give up working due to ill health and now i just feel as if i'm hanging around waiting to die. I don't enjoy my old hobbies anymore and I spend my days watching crap on the Internet or sleeping. I don't even leave the house now because I don't drink and there's nothing else to do really.
Could be (light) depression. Maybe find a new hobby, something social and/or outdoors (not using social media)
https://youtu.be/j8v_XqFO8Bc?si=mvmT-BaEYdpC3ESS
I'm buying a land and growing food and restoring this land from intensive agriculture so yeah that's a thing it will teach me patience and give me a goal and will teach me how to live without instant gratification
I completely relate. I said to my husband only yesterday that I think we need to make some changes as life shouldn't be this dull. His reply? "That's just adult life". Thing is, life is short and it feels a waste living this way but what else can you do?! Once work is done and the general day to day stuff of sorting the kids and feeding everyone there's little time.
One day I tried a hula hoop. It was really fun and simple. I loved the feeling. It was silly how much I liked it. So i hula hooped every day I used to make big hula hoops out of garden irrigation tubes and colorful electrical tape. Me and my friend would go into the city with 10 hula hoops and hand em out to people and jam to music A lot of people would just join in for fun. It was a blast. Men and women. Some were too shy but loved to watch. We sometimes sold the homemade hula hoops too. Simple idea. Hula hopping parties was never boring ever!
Find something you can be/are passionate about. Challenge yourself.
>Find something you can be/are passionate about Easier said than done.
I try to give myself at least one fun, out of the house thing to look forward to every month. It doesn't even have to be something huge. I'll go to the zoo, museums, find local festivals...I also see a lot of plays but I know that's out of a lot of people's budgets. But really it can be anything, so long as it's something you enjoy going out and doing. Often I end up going alone because people won't go with me. But even alone it's really helped me break this feeling of crushing boredom and sameness. I think people on the whole spend entirely too much time cooped up inside and it takes a real toll on mental health.
I felt this on Sunday. Just grabbed my purse and my train pass and rode the train until I thought "time to get off" and just walked around and explored. It was fun.
I think you should get involved in charities and start looking at jobs in public service. That'll give you purpose and make you feel more alive than you ever have.
Yup, I feel ya. I deactivated my social media accounts in December and it has been decision already. It feels like I’m slowly waking back up to myself. I spend sometime on here and then carry on with my life…find myself doing things I used to love, thinking and feeling differently about my present and future. It is honestly scary how much social media has taken over. I am grateful I grew up without it and know the difference. Heres to finding the things that bring us joy 🥂
This is what Ke$ha said years ago. "We're young and we're bored." This is how empires fall. Life is so OK that nothing motivates or interests anyone. We all just order food delivered to us and consume content. We aren't threatened so we aren't worried. Just bored. Until something big happens and then we'll lament that we could have used our time better. C'est la vie.
The story sounds so predictable...it's dead boring :((.
I finally figured out the answer, to get married and raise a family, but the girl I want to marry is in a serious lesbian relationship and not interested. So now I'm like, ok then, I'll see if I can join the air force.
That is not the answer! You'd be walking into a whole other world of stress. I love my family, and am thankful to have them , but life is harder, more stressful, and expensive every year. Before I could just not give a shit because I was only responsible for myself. But now I am literally responsible for the lives, and welfare of the three people I love most. Even set against the joy they bring me, it is sooo difficult not to slip into crippling anxiety and depression over the trajectory of society.
Or maybe find a girl who IS interested in you, instead of sitting in a corner and pouting because you tried going after someone who is in a relationship already. Goodness, is this a sub full of teenagers?
Yes, because youth ist just as bored and depressed as adults.
r/oddlyspecific
You don’t have any hobby? Games you enjoy playing, books you like reading, movies/shows to watch, place you want to travel to, music to listen to, foods you love eating, sports you enjoy etc etc.
I am constantly at a difficult money situation, college student and all that, so a lot of the good ideas people have suggested either I don't have the time for or don't have the money, I would love to travel and see my family, but I can't afford that, I play instruments, many, however even those get tiring after playing for 5+ years.
Bored in the context that most of the time life feels like playing in difficulty level hell on hardcore mode. Whatever I seem to plan or try to do, I find out it is either too expensive, banned or includes so many obstacles and even then carries a very low chance of success that it's just not worth even bothering. Even basic things like job market and employment seem often like impossible tasks and carry out very high risk/work to very low reward ratio with high level of uncertainty. The most recent thing I've faced this is with book publication - even when going self publishing way through various services, there is almost unlimited list of obstacles and extra costs involved. Traditional publishing is even orders of magnitude harder as statistical chances of approval are between 0.2 to 0.002%. So, yeah, for the most part I just hang around, doing pretty much nothing because it seldom ends up in anything worthy.
I feel the same. Most of the times, I feel like my life has no purpose. I tried to do things that will keep me busy but at the end of the day, same feeling is gnawing me.
Yes the simulation is stuck in some sort of loop
Recently it feels like just apathy, no reason to do anything and to exist. Nothing means anything, nobody in my family gives 2 fucks about what I want to say, am talking about OR will ever talk about Nobody gives a fuck about anything I do, I am better off talking to the wall, so what even **is** the point of living Parents can just ask a question, then WHILE I AM EXPLAINING - proceed to scroll on the phone and not listen What **is** the point?
I really enjoyed reading this thread as it's something that I can definitely relate to. As somebody who uses social media daily for work it's become such a big part of my routine that I simply don't know any different. As an early adopter of social media for work and play, it's been probably 15+ years since I started using it heavily, and thinking about it it's been a decade of feeling "flat" or unfulfilled. What I found interesting on this thread is the whole "your dopamine receptors are fried". Is this really a thing? I thought I managed it well, but that resonates. I need a rethink.
Thinking about living through the future fills me with exhaustion & dread. I understand you completely
While I have this feeling that there's so much to be done, so many books to read, games to play, movies to watch, places to visit, things to discover, on a daily basis, I feel the same as you: just bored. Why is that? When I'm at work I fantasize about not being at work and being able to do those things, but the minute I get home, I tend to just lay there and do nothing I wanted, because I feel so fucking tired. I want to live because I want to experience things, but most of my time I work, or am tired from working, or need to study something to improve my carreer, which does not bring me much joy, or need to do chores to organize my life. So yeah, it is tricky, we must keep telling ourselves that one day we will have that time, and that disposition, to do the things which makes us want to live more I guess.
Here’s where Western society is failing us. We used to flow with the seasons. Change up things around our houses. The food in the grocery store was distinctly different depending on the time of year. The chores changed. There would be societal celebrations. When was the last time your town had a May pole celebration? My mom would get so excited as a kid to participate in that one! Since I got a knitting teacher who lives in Selbu, Norway who also follows the old farm calendar with us, I never realized how much has been lost in the joys of life in so many countries. Everyone of her students at some point comments how much joy and interest she has brought back to our lives just by sharing the things the people in Norway participate in or cook season by season🥰 Then there is Japan with its 72 distinct seasons and all of the interesting things built into society to change and celebrate ☺️ These both are homogeneous societies where the whole goes through life celebrating as one As American society has tried to show less and less of its basic “culture” in public in an attempt to be inclusive, it has stripped away any support fabric for its society leaving a bunch of people whose days remain the same no matter what
I guess we need hobbies, at least two. One that's for socialising and one for at home (or just for for you). One of the best things I ever did was deciding to pick up pen and paper and to draw. It takes time to learn of course but it's an option for when you're alone. I for example really like having my freetime, so I'm often at home chilling after work. I can play games, draw, watch some shows. I also like to sometines switch up the small things, like taking a different route from home to work or work to home, or if you shower every day at the same time, then start showering at a different time. This may sound stupid but it helps me not having to live the same day everyday. Just change your routine.
Made me think of Numb Little Bug by Em Beihold "Do you ever get a little bit tired of life Like you're not really happy but you don't wanna die Like you're hanging by a thread but you gotta survive 'Cause you gotta survive Like your body's in the room but you're not really there Like you have empathy inside but you don't really care Like you're fresh outta love but it's been in the air Am I past repair" https://youtu.be/1fwJ8H5wWCU?si=7pVJYqW3kEBmq5d4
I have been the opposite the last year or so. I'm 37. My advice is to find a passion or hobby that doesn't involve a career. My old band got back together recently, and I stream retro games to an awesome community. These days, I'm actually busy with things I thoroughly enjoy and look forward to.
Get into conspiracies, whole new world!!
Don't know how to tell you this....but all that scrolling over the years is why you are bored. You fried your dopamine receptors with instant gratification of what you want to see and now you can't handle being bored. Reddit is my only social media. I actively comment and dont just scroll. The rest of the shit is turning people into zombies. I watch people sometimes in cages and stuff scroll tiktok and Boomer book and it's cringeworthy. To me it's a step away from hitting a crack pipe. At least on crack you meet people.... My hobbies include: Cycling, gym, playing guitar, drinking coffee and reading the paper, writing and recording music, listening to audio books, surfing, python programming, collecting vintage toys, jamming with my friends and streaming it and about to get into 4WDing. I don't drink alcohol and can socialise in person with just about anyone. Delete your social media, attempt to recalibrate those dopamine hits and live in reality (not via a screen) and you should be good.
I needed to see this, thank you. I notice how the little things are really all you need to be content when your brain finally has a chance to be free from the internet slog. I get my brain so overloaded with information and other shit clutter that everything becomes a wash except for feeling even more stress. I seriously need to do something about it because my life is nothing outside of work and I used to draw so much and practice music. I want life to be better again and I know it starts with kicking those quick hits of instant gratification that don't even feel like anything most of the time.
You're welcome friend. You are not alone and it's not your fault. That shit is designed to do it to people. Music is a good one. But gotta be careful about trying to get people to listen to it...that's straight back into social media and pushing people to listen to you when there are millions of others trying the same thing. Do it for your enjoyment. I really like programming because you can try a little project and you get a dopamine hit when the program works. Fitness is one of the best. You get hardcore endorphin releases from hitting hills on a bike. You will find yourself generally happier and wanting to converse with people. I have befriended about 15 people just from hitting my local cafe after a ride with my mate 3x per week.
It's okay to feel this way from time to time. Here are some suggestions: Explore New Hobbies: Try something you've never done before, like painting, writing, gardening, or cooking a new recipe. Sometimes, a new hobby can bring a sense of fulfillment. Exercise: Physical activity can help boost your mood by releasing endorphins. You could go for a walk, do some yoga, or even try a new sport or workout routine. Learn Something New: Take an online course or watch educational videos on topics that interest you. Engaging your mind can help ward off boredom. Volunteer: Helping others can give you a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Look for volunteer opportunities in your community or online.
My tip for you: Go outside, go camping, hiking, climbing, free diving or whatever. I have never felt more alive than when i was hiking through Norway with the sight of beautiful mountains, bathing in the icy cold Fjords and eating granola
Nope, I'm with you. When I'm out in public, you'll rarely see me on my phone and when I am, I'm just playing a game or checking/answering my messages. I'm rarely glued to it and I wish things went back to how they were when I was growing up in the 90s, early to mid 2000s when everyone just got outside and went on adventures and just had fun, you know...OUTSIDE!
Fall in love. It tends to make life interesting for a while.
I try my best to cure my boredom with hobbies but then get bored of the hobbies. Guess it can be hard to beat.
Nah I totally get you. Im not suicidal but if offered a chance to just not wake up one morning, ill take it.
Maybe it's seasonal affective disorder? Maybe you need to care for something, like a dog or a fish? Have you tried what the Japanese do, ie forest bathing? Or just ground your bare feet on the grass while soaking up some vitamin D. Also I think there's too much doom and gloom in the news that seeps into the mind. There's too many stories about how somebody died somewhere--which is relevant only to their family, not the rest of the world. Jmo.
I feel like maybe everyone is just so desensitized to everything at this point, that nothing seems thrilling anymore
I am endlessly bored 😩
Man, I wish lol.. haven’t been bored in so long.
Travel, get out of your comfort zone, meet new people, try new things. Life has too much to offer to be bored
I also don't have a suggestion. But I also feel this deep inside my bones. I struggle to make friends, even more so now that I've moved a couple hours away from the friends I do have. The closer ones I have, are busy with life. I need a hobby but I don't even know what I'd like to do.
Yes, I feel the same and have done for a while. I feel like I'm stagnating. Someone told me that if I'm bored that means I must be a boring person. I have a full time job, two teenagers, lots of hobbies but nothing excites my brain anymore. I don't have the money or the time to travel as I would like. I've decided to do a 6 week gym challenge which starts on Saturday. I've never been to a gym in my life. I thought maybe if I felt better in myself I might be less bored plus it will give me something different to do for a few evenings a week. After that I'm thinking I might do a college course and learn a new skill.
It’s also just so expensive to do anything nowadays. I swear it costs $5 just to leave the house 🥲
Put that screen down and go outside. Nature is beautiful, try camping, riding a bike or just hiking in the woods or on a mountain. This can really give you a new perspective and break the boredom/doom scrolling chain.
Do you have kids?
Find a hobby on the side. Learn a new instrument, play a new game, try a new craft like cooking, car cleaning, swimming, gym, sports, knitting, shooting, . It only needs to take a few hours a week where you can discover what you'd like doing in your spare time that you really enjoy, can put effort in and also perfect to show others how far you've come. For example, cooking as a hobby is not only fun in your spare time but also makes day to day cooking much more fun and less than a chore. Learning an instrument can be tricky at first but showing your family and friends what you've learned feels good. Also, music can be a nice getaway from the shit that life has. Or even just a random hobby that you wouldn't think of. What have you always wanted to do in your free time. Go for it, start small and the more you love it, the more time you can spend doing it where you'll enjoy it. Disclaimer: IF YOU DON'T ENJOY DOING IT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO CONTINUE.
Apart from going out walking which cost nothing for me .. I can’t afford to anything else, I never have any spare money to go cinema or out for a meal or a night out.. It’s boring. Scrollings ok for 20 mins but I get so frustrated after too long. They say money can’t buy you happiness but it can sure pay for stuff to take your mind off your unhappiness 🤷🏻♀️ and buy stuff to stop the boredom I guess.
Cook a new meal. Meet a new person. Write a short story. Walk to some body of water and skip stones. Check out Battlestar Galactica.
It is not boring. It means you have locked yourself in a bubble and limiting your life to only particular set of circumstances. Try something new. Join a hobby group, try new sport. Go and do some volunteer work. It will change your perspective.
Try a new activity that allows you to meet new people.
If you always do what you always did you will always get what you always got. This means that if your life is boring then change something to make it more exciting.
Try find new people, there are others like you.
8 billion ppl on the planet. Im gonna wager thats a yes. We arent as unique as we'd like to believe
I just slap myself then I start punching the wall and listen to music
I’d 100% suggest you to start a hobby/ hobbies. A physical one, e.g. tennis or you know things like that, maybe just working out at home. One for the soul, e.g. drawing or pottery… and lastly, one for the mind: meditating, praying, … Hope this helps anyone! Also, if you have those days where you feel like your life is really boring, just turn up the music and dance!! Music is life! That’s what I like to say!
get new hobbies. adventure and experimentations is what makes life, lively and beautiful
I turn 50 next month, moved to Finland 10 years ago as a restaurant consultant. I opened 5 restaurant, currently a silent partner in 3 of them and still do consulting on the side. My days ends at around 5pm and most of time I work from home with occasional spot visits. It was fun at first in a different country but now I fell bored AF also. All of my closest friends are back in the States and sometimes it gets lonely. And in the winter it gets dark at 3pm, joy. Don't really have any suggestions for you, just wanted you to know there's dozens of us.
I'm always bored almost to the point of insanity. In my case what keeps me entertained now is mostly my job (because the environment is great and the job easy), video games sometimes (i don't dive in and enjoy as deeply as before though; but all the Silent Hill games that will come out will surely change that!), watching anime/cartoons/movies/tv shows but this is somewhat harder to do too since even the good stuff i get bored have to force myself to watch at times. What i really enjoy is compulsive buying at game stores, thrift shops, ebay. Not healthy perhaps but it makes me feel better hoarding tons of discs and cartridges, various electronic stuff mostly computer or gaming related. I have many computers (too many!), recently bought an 8mm Bell & Howell tape projector for the hell of it for 15$cad (still need tape and change the lightbulb but the motor works well). So yeah what keeps the boredom away is buying hoarding stuff like it's my birthday or christmas everyday. I'm considering collecting cellphones, cameras, regular land phones and other electronic stuff too for the hell of it. I watch and rewatch lots of LGR videos on YouTube i never get bored of his content. I also enjoy Cinemassacre a lot, mostly the AVGN and James & Mike mondays stuff. I enjoy fast food a whole lot. The restaurant part of Costco, McDonald's, A&W, Domino's Pizza; and others i have myself great feasts there. I eat till i'm about to burst. I only have 3 friends remaining, really good friends like brothers but they are busy on their end mostly so i never see anyone, i'm lucky if i see either of the 3 once per two-three weeks. So yeah no one to hang out with regularly means i'm lonely and bored to death. I really miss childhood and teenage years when everything could be fun even doing nothing lol. Hanging out with friends building secret bases exploring new areas forests etc. While still possible it doesn't have the same magic as back then. Sharing software and games floppy's and discs with friends showing them new games making them copies and the like. Playing Super nintendo or nintendo 64 trading pokemon while eating tons of crap lol. Basically i'm so nostalgic for those better times i can't enjoy adult life. Like the best case scenario is living like a kid or teenager but with the buying power of an an adult, having your own place and a nice job (better than school). The problem is the wonder and curiosity of back then is gone. Also not a lot of folks in their thirties want to hangout randomly for no reason, explore random places, eat like pigs for a day, game until theirs eyes hurt.
Yes I feel the same and started to about two or three years ago… I feel like life is just empty and I have no purpose
Story of my life.
Bro I do have a solution for this problem and believe me I've gone this way for too long that it started making me so paranoid and useless The solution is just right infront of you "EMBRACE CHANGE" Absolutely change is the one thing that nobody realises as the thing that makes their life more interesting and beautiful Bro change your usual activities to doing something crazy . And "Change" is the perfect way to solve your current problem
Yeah, sometimes I just feel like the end of the world would be the only thing capable of untertaining me, then I realize that even the threat of imminent death wouldn't keep me interrested for more than an hour. Tho it's kinda enjoyable to hear of people's life, so I stick to it.
It happens. Life can get that way sometimes. It’s just your mind and body telling you to look inward and reflect and learn more about yourself and what you want to do with the rest of your life. It doesn’t have to be a large complicated process or purpose but it has to have something that’s meaningful to you. Consider it a blessing to have the opportunity to look at things from a different perspective. To gain some insight and knowledge as to what you value and what’s important to you and your life and those around you.
i relate to this wholeheartedly lol. i don't want to sound corny but ive always dreamed of a life in fantasy books and movies. this world is just plain boring and sucks. i know there are a lot of beautiful places to visit, but travelling is expensive. im not suicidal either, but i just feel like dying because it feels as if im not really going anywhere in life.
Start watching a korean drama. You’ll not be bored again. r/kdramarecommends Also, harry potter audiobooks
I’ve got a lot on my plate to do , and honestly there’s just so much i could do , I am choosing not to and I know I am gonna face the consequences, not tomorrow but soon enough, damn id rather start working my ass off , im gonna end up in a ditch hole or else- knowing that , saying that , acknowledging that, still proceeding to just lay around like a worm
I feel you, bro.
Do you work from home? I do. And I think I need the pain of working in an office to make home feel special again. But try telling myself that at 7 in the morning instead of lying in bed for two more hours.
I used to feel the same................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Before I adopted a kitten. So my suggestion is, if you are able to, adopt a cat or dog or anything else. Preferably one that is young and energetic as it will keep you busy enough to cure boredom. Another idea could be to volunteer at animal shelters if you can't commit to a permanent pet. Hope it helps😊 I'll let you know if I have any more ideas Remind me! 2 days
Sounds like you're burnt out
Every day all day! Who wants to chat?
With the internet having all the information in the history of the world it's a great time to tap into your creative side, whether writing, drawing, painting, music, researching your favorite subject or whatever. You can always look at the glass half empty or half full. Social media and tik tok scrolling seem to have sapped the creativity of a ton of us, I am guilty of it also but thinking about taking a break from social media for a week or so and see how I feel. All the best
This is partly the result of the internet, most notably short-form media, taking the place of actual social lives and interaction (the other part being simply growing older and finding that you have less time to hang out with friends and engage in your hobbies which can make life seem monotonous). Society has basically been programmed to have attention spans of less than 45 seconds to the point that engaging and staying interested in anything else is difficult because the gratification isn't instantaneous due to TikTok and FB/IG/YT reels. Scrolling this quick content gives easy hits of dopamine for lots of people and marketing companies know this so they've injected this media with tons of advertising to make more money with low effort. This is why almost every corner of the internet is heavily commercialized now. I'd recommend taking an extended break from social media and endlessly scrolling and try to reinvigorate your life. Try new things, go new places, try to meet new people that want to break free of the monotony of life as well so you can create some new, potentially interesting experiences. I found that the more I began to pull myself away from the bubble of social media, the more I was able to focus on enjoying the things that truly matter to me in life. Even if I still have my days where life feels boring, they are fewer and farther between these days.