Life is boring in general and Ecclesiastes

[LovedLittleLamb]

I am a struggling Christian that very recently has reconnected with God. I deal with depression but I'm not really depressed anymore. My problem is that I think that life is boring in general. What can humans really do? Eat, sleep, use the bathroom, if we are married - have sex, entertain ourselves (i.e. games and tv), talk to each other, and work so we can do all these things comfortably. It's so monitous (spell?) and boring to me. Like a chase after the wind like it says in Ecclesiastes. Does anyone else feel this way?

 

[mnbvcxz87]

Satisfaction comes from helping those who need our help. Animals...

 

[quatona]

I am a struggling Christian that very recently has reconnected with God. I deal with depression but I'm not really depressed anymore. My problem is that I think that life is boring in general. What can humans really do? Eat, sleep, use the bathroom, if we are married - have sex, entertain ourselves (i.e. games and tv), talk to each other, and work so we can do all these things comfortably. It's so monitous (spell?) and boring to me. Like a chase after the wind like it says in Ecclesiastes. Does anyone else feel this way?

Occasionally. Particularly when I clean my house just so it can collect dirt again just so I have to clean it again.
Allow me a counterquestion: you list a lot of things, all of which you describe as boredom. Beyond sex, entertainment, eating, sleeping, taking a shower, talking to each other, giving each other comfort, challenging each other, experiencing the abilities and limits of our bodies and minds (all of which appear as boring to you):
Do you have any idea what sort of life would not be boring?

 

[SaraLee]

Occasionally. Particularly when I clean my house just so it can collect dirt again just so I have to clean it again.
Allow me a counterquestion: you list a lot of things, all of which you describe as boredom. Beyond sex, entertainment, eating, sleeping, taking a shower, talking to each other, giving each other comfort, challenging each other, experiencing the abilities and limits of our bodies and minds (all of which appear as boring to you):
Do you have any idea what sort of life would not be boring?

My aunt says she is never bored and I wondered how that could be. I even thought that perhaps she was lying. And I add that my aunt does not live what most would deem an exciting life. She is 89 years old, has had two heart attacks and has arthritis so she is not capable of doing a lot of extra curricular activities. She also lives with me so I am a witness to her life. So why isn't her life boring to her? From my observations, she engrosses herself fully in what ever she is doing and gives it 100% of her attention and energy, be it washing dishes or simply watching t.v. which in turn gives her great satisfaction. I love her attitude and since she moved in with me 6 years ago, I have made efforts to achieve a similar attitude myself. Of course it doesn't always work but then, change is work. Best wishes to you as well.

SaraLee

 

[quatona]

My aunt says she is never bored and I wondered how that could be. I even thought that perhaps she was lying. And I add that my aunt does not live what most would deem an exciting life. She is 89 years old, has had two heart attacks and has arthritis so she is not capable of doing a lot of extra curricular activities. She also lives with me so I am a witness to her life. So why isn't her life boring to her? From my observations, she engrosses herself fully in what ever she is doing and gives it 100% of her attention and energy, be it washing dishes or simply watching t.v. which in turn gives her great satisfaction. I love her attitude and since she moved in with me 6 years ago, I have made efforts to achieve a similar attitude myself. Of course it doesn't always work but then, change is work. Best wishes to you as well.

SaraLee

Thanks SaraLee,
I´m fully aware that boredom and other emotions are depending on our disposition and attitude towards things rather than the circumstances. (Funny side-note: My mother often told me the story that when I was like 14 and she complained about how boring her work was, I responded: "Then, why don´t you do it with more dedication?" Smart-a**, that I used to be back then already. )

I am inclined to think that there is a tendency to search for stronger stimuli and thrills, once boredom is taking over. Making things stronger, bigger, traveling even further away, etc. Whilst, in my observation, concentration and focus is the key. You can find everything even in the smallest things.

However, our OPer seems to be willing, but currently unable to find an attitude that helps her experiencing life as not boring altogether. I am not sure what might possibly help her, so I asked questions.
The story of your grandma is great, but from my experience telling such stories is counterproductive. From the perspective of the person who has a problem it basically comes down to being told: See, others are even worse off than you, and they are happy, too.

But they are different. Sure, we can tell a person suffering from depression: "Well, why not try to be a little more light-hearted?", but since the problem is exactly that they can´t (and such problems tend to be often circular in this way), this is not much of a help, and often even adds feelings of guilt.

Just my opinion, of course.
All the best
quatona

 

[JadeTigress]

Does anyone else feel this way?

YES! Having dealt with depression myself, I know exactly what it's like. While, like you, I'm not as depressed right now, I still feel it. Every day I wake up, go to school, come home, and go to bed. I repeat the same cycle every day. And the only thing that's going to change is that when I get out of school, I'll get up, go to work, come home, and go to sleep. I constantly think about how I'm doomed to live a life of monotony, and it just kills me a little more inside. I can't stand it.

 

[mnbvcxz87]

JadeTigress you don't have to become part of that system.

 

[Eudaimonist]

My problem is that I think that life is boring in general. What can humans really do? Eat, sleep, use the bathroom, if we are married - have sex, entertain ourselves (i.e. games and tv), talk to each other, and work so we can do all these things comfortably. It's so monitous (spell?) and boring to me. Like a chase after the wind like it says in Ecclesiastes. Does anyone else feel this way?

I don't know why you feel bored, but what I do is find activities that are more than "entertainment". If all you do is consume easy pleasures or do work that doesn't really involve you, then of course you are going to get bored, because you aren't challenging yourself. IMO, what you need to do is challenge your mind with something creative or productive.

For example, I read often difficult philosophy and write challenging computer software in my spare time. This might be boring (or perhaps frustrating) for some people, but not for me. I like these activities, and they are challenging for me.

They are not mere entertainment that I passively sit by and watch like a couch potato. They fully involve me so that I am absorbed in the activity. I can't feel bored.

You may need to find what those challenging activities are for you.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Tynan]

she engrosses herself fully in what ever she is doing and gives it 100% of her attention and energy, be it washing dishes...



<snip>


.....I love her attitude and since she moved in with me 6 years ago

I too would move my aunt in if she gave herself 100% to washing the dishes.

 

[Tynan]

YES! Having dealt with depression myself, I know exactly what it's like. While, like you, I'm not as depressed right now, I still feel it. Every day I wake up, go to school, come home, and go to bed. I repeat the same cycle every day. And the only thing that's going to change is that when I get out of school, I'll get up, go to work, come home, and go to sleep. I constantly think about how I'm doomed to live a life of monotony, and it just kills me a little more inside. I can't stand it.

Cheer up !!

When you leave school - work for 18 months in some monotonous job, save a load of money and get on the first airplane to some far flung place - or start your own bussiness - or buy a really expensive camera and a back pack and make a name for yourself as a well know wildlife photographer - or design a device to help old people balance when walking - or open a restaurant that makes money in the daytime and feeds the homeless for free in the evenings - or cycle around the glode for charity - or start a commune - or start and organize you own yearly music festival - or throw yourself in to helping your local community - or become a stand up comedian - or learn how to repair TVs and work to your own schedule - or make homemade cakes and sandwiches and sell them to shops - or design and print T-shirts and sell them on the internet - or buy old telephones and paint them with old master pastiches and sell them on the internet - or repair bicycles in your back yard - or buy an old run down property and spend 10 years and all the banks money turning it into a wonderful home, sell it move on to the next

Or any of the other several million options you have after you have pulled out of your depression.

 

[Tynan]

For example, I read often difficult philosophy and write challenging computer software in my spare time. This might be boring (or perhaps frustrating) for some people, but not for me. I like these activities, and they are challenging for me.

They are not mere entertainment that I passively sit by and watch like a couch potato. They fully involve me so that I am absorbed in the activity. I can't feel bored.

Couldn't agree more !!!

I am not so sure about the writing challenging computer software bit though !!! (although I did have a fling with Z80 machine code some time back)

I think you hit the nail on the head when you say you should replace passive entertainment with involved entertainment (none of these are quite the right terms but hopefully you know what I mean!).

 

[phsyxx]

In reply to the original post.
Maybe you've discovered the meaning of life.


THERE ISN'T ANY.

 

[Gracchus]

I am a struggling Christian that very recently has reconnected with God. I deal with depression but I'm not really depressed anymore. My problem is that I think that life is boring in general. What can humans really do? Eat, sleep, use the bathroom, if we are married - have sex, entertain ourselves (i.e. games and tv), talk to each other, and work so we can do all these things comfortably. It's so monitous (spell?) and boring to me. Like a chase after the wind like it says in Ecclesiastes. Does anyone else feel this way?

Hey! Boring is good! I would settle for boring. Excitement usually leads to post-traumatic stress disorder.

In reply to the original post.
Maybe you've discovered the meaning of life.


THERE ISN'T ANY.

We get to choose what meaning to give to our lives. It is a creative act. Every once in a while, it's a good idea to kick back, relax, and live a meaningless life. It prevents burnout.

 

[Opcode42]

As others have stated, we must find our own meanings. Its part of our growth process, one whcih does not stop untill our death.

If you are bored with life, you can either give in and stop, or you can explore new avenues of growth. Try researching a topic you have little experience with. Explore the possibilites of science, philsophy, art, history, humanitarian needs, travel, communication media, exotic bird watching, whatever.

The world is a big place. Don't even try to tell me you've experienced more than a fraction of whats out there.

Time to shed the bindings of restricted thought and embrace the totality and wonder of our existence on this planet and in this universe.

 

[Multi-Elis]

Brain storm as fast as possible 20 creative things you'd like to do. Example:
1.Roller blading
2. Dancing
3.Gardening
4. Choir
5. Hold a dinner
6. Bake a pie
7. Go to china
8. learn to prune grape vines
9. Learn to play piano
10. learn to play violin
ETC.

Do one of them.

 

[Quasicentennial]

Adam and Eve lived in a garden of paradise. But since there sinful violation of eating an apple, man over the centuries have torn down forests to make way for city life. I believe the smell and coolness of the forest are missing important psychological and physiological health benefits in our lives.

The forest, other than delicious food and entertainment, is excellent in deterring boredom and depression. It is very unlikely that the government or council in most countries will allow pine trees for example to grow in suburbs and cities.

People will have to travel far to get away from the busy life but they will have to return soon because home and work are inescapable needs.

 

[Multi-Elis]

OUCH, Mine ears.
Yes, nature is where I go to revive myself. It completly gets me lost and has a healing effect on me

 

[Tynan]

OUCH, Mine ears.
Yes, nature is where I go to revive myself. It completly gets me lost and has a healing effect on me

Nature is where I go to relieve myself, so watch out when you are there.

 

[quatona]

Nature is where I go to re-leaf myself.

 

[Tynan]

Nature is where I go to re-leaf myself.

Drum roll !