Why Boredom Is Necessary—and How to Use It to Thrive

Have you ever laid under a tree and simply watched the leaves wiggle up in the canopy?
You could say that this is what it means to be bored—to look at a tree and simply be.

However, through boredom, I thrive.

For when I’m outside, under the sun, embracing the present moment, I find that I exist outside the passage of time.
When you lay under a tree and look at nature’s complexity—through its simplicity (which is actually full of irony, because the thing that is so simple is so complex)—you find infinite novelty within observing a tree.

However, in the modern world, when we feel boredom, we distract ourselves with entertainment—whether social media, movies, TV shows, the news, etc.

But actually, this is a tragedy.

Modern boredom—and the way we fill that void with distractions and noise—might just be one of the ultimate tragedies of modern society.

Why? Because we limit ourselves.
We distract ourselves from what lies within everyday life.

I believe we all have an inner creative spirit that desires to express itself.
Humans are designed to move, to think. We have consciousness and the ability to articulate the world with our hands, our thumbs, our bodies.

We’ve created cities, paths, roads, and highways that stretch across vast lands.
We’ve sailed across the seven seas and conquered the entire globe.
We’ve traveled to space and landed on the moon.

This creative spirit is within each human.
But with this abundance of technology, we distract ourselves from the endless novelty found within the boredom of everyday life.

When you watch a squirrel jump from the bench to the grass, or listen to the birds chirp and the bees hum—
you feel alive.

To me, when you simply be, you are most alive.

But now, we are in a constant state of striving, of becoming, of trying to be somebody, or trying to become somebody—
seeking money, seeking fame.

And most of these material goals and notions of success we seek are vain—
and boring at best.

So I say: thrive in boredom.

Move through the world with wonder and curiosity.
Follow your instincts by living in the present moment with pinpoint accuracy.
Only focus on what is in your control—within your physical, immediate life.

The distractions from the screen, the noise and chatter of the city, may give you a nice dopamine hit—
but the true feeling of bliss is found when you simply be,
and listen to the insects hum and hiss.

So don’t fill the void.
Don’t look at boredom as something you need to overcome.

Look at boredom as something to conquer, something to thrive in,
something to fuel your creativity,
or even simply your sensitivity to life itself.

Through that sensitivity—
that curious state of being—
you begin to live.

DANTE