I love this story! So relatable. Really appreciate hearing about your journey with boredom. Reading this made me ponder into the nature of boredom in my life. Yes, it seems to always creep up after a little while. With music, I get bored unless I’m learning new stuff. With work I get bored if I’m not being challenged by something I don’t think I can do. The boredom is actually like this amazing friend who’s always there to get me to my next step of creative discovery. Though I’m nOt a big baseball fan, I get the image of a base coach who cheers the batter on to run to the next base, “go, go, go!” Most of the cool shot I’ve done in my life came from a stinky compost bed of boredom. I’m actually pretty bored with my house now so I’m fixing to build a cob/earth cabin in my backyard because that would be so fun and challenging. Anyway, love this sub, so glad to meet you.
Hi Marie! Your post hits home in many ways. The way I look at it, boredom is our mind's way of telling us that it's time we bring the challenge to ourselves and move from one quest to another so we don't get complacent. As humans, we have an ingrained desire for familiarity and comfort, but that's not going to help us evolve to our full human potential and experience life for what it is. And perhaps getting bored is a good thing in that way. Thank you for sharing the backstory. It's inspiring, and I'm excited to read more such insights.
Hi Rajeshwari! Thank you so much for taking the time for reading my story and leaving a comment. I really appreciate it.
You are absolutely right about boredom being a good thing. I believe that too, I would not be here writing newsletters was it not for the boredom. However, if it gets chronically and you don't have the tools to deal with it, it can become a silent killer. Here in Belgium they call it a bore-out. Same symptoms as burnout, but different cause, underperforming and lacking challenge.
However, it can be the accelerator for personal growth and growing your potential!
Have you ever experienced boredom leading to something good or creative?
I see how the bore-out situation can be more concerning. And I guess it's likely common among people in the creative arena. What do you think? For me, boredom has played its fair part in keeping me on the edge of burnout and has also helped me see what I had been ignoring while growing up. Like you, I also found solace in writing—when dealing with boredom in my university years, where I was majoring in chemistry. So yeah, that's my mini-backstory.
So this explains your title name 👍🏻 I can understand this boredom problem. I've felt it many times in many different scenarios in my life/career. What takes me out of it is taking on something meaningful going forward. Being new to Substack, I see a lot of us getting excited about the potential it offers. Looking forward to seeing the possibilities it offers for us.
Sorry for the embarrassingly late respons Phil 🙈 something wrong with my notification settings! Substack is right now the meaningful thing that takes me forward and gets me out of my boredom rut! Thanks for reading and for being here!!
Thank you Marie, for writing a post that I can seriously relate to. LOL. I went through this back in 2022. I was so bored with writing online and creating online programs that I started playing poker and making videos of me playing poker. Like, seriously. Just totally and utterly lost. It took me like a year and a half to find my footing again, which is what I'm doing here on Substack. How do you feel about writing on Substack? Are you finding it more enjoyable?
Haha sorry, this made me laugh out loud! Because it's so super relatable. I've been hearing the craziest stories of people being bored, somebody even started taking a pillow to work so he could sleep in his office. It's funny but at the same time - horrible.
I started writing on Medium a month ago, but not sure about the place (and I've just read your last Medium post...). I really love the concept of Substack, but haven't found my routine in it. I've been sending out newsletter twice a week (I have about 60 subscribers, most of them from LI)
I see your also active on LinkedIn? I started writing on LI end of 2022, but feel uninspired over there. How's that going for you?
So it's a search for me, to be honest! But I love writing, so not giving up!
I got bored with LinkedIn from posting there the last 2.5 years. It's just the same crap every single time and for some reason LinkedIn doesn't promote my work that much. Just kinda sucks. I got bored on Medium, too, because they decided they didn't like me anymore sometime in mid-2021. Substack is giving me like boatloads of views and subscribers right now and I'm kinda shocked by it, to be honest. I'm happy with where I am. I feel really connected to my purpose writing with my Dad and also helping other writers again. I feel like once I connect with my purpose, everything else kind of just falls into place.
Hey Marie! I saw you joined!! Welcome!! Yes, you can still come join us. I do this commenting thing as a regular habit that will continue going on past the 7 day challenge. I hope the community will do the same :) Welcome!
Reading this in June 2025 as I'm starting my own Substack & I always find it so inspiring to see where people started. I am obsessed with 'the building process', I guess. Thank you so much. Love from Slovenia. ❤️
Upon reading your post again this AM, (and feeling bored!), I am thinking boredom simply is a sign we are not doing (living) the thing we should be doing 😖
I’m always happy and a bit sad at the same time that people can relate. Happy because that makes me feel less alone and weird. Sad because I don’t wish this on anybody!
How did you get out of your boredom at work?
Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment!
Uhh... I constantly look for stimulations. I share tens of ideas with management, keep taking new challenges, keep experimenting etc.
...or when boss doesn't want to listen - just finishing what I have to finish and then doing "my" stuff.
But the hunger or boredom never fully disappears. And over time I must get more and more creative when seeking for opportunities.
But on a good note, such explorations always bring me new passions, new perspective, new things to try. On a bad note - my relatives always see me unsatisfied, always hungry, not enjoying "regular" things.
This is great, and as a fellow neurodivergent millennial I can relate! I am still trying to iron out the particulars in my life, and figuring out why I’m like I am. It’s been a journey of radical self-acceptance. I can’t wait to read more of your articles.
This has been my life and I am now 52. I've been “successful” but always felt something was missing and there had to be something better. I got bored because everything became fo felt easy for me and that frustrated the crap out if me.
I've recently begun to explore the possibility I have ADHD and the signs are good, best thing is knowing and geeltting answers or potential explanations for what the heck has been going on in my head for years without understanding why I seemed to feel and thing differently to everyone else, it was lonely.
ADHD might be the answer indeed, for me it was also a form of neurodivergence - only discovered some months ago. So good you are exploring and getting to know yourself better Darryl. It can be very lonely indeed.
“I'm a searching person. I'm content with what I have, but there's an undeniable longing for more, for pushing myself to another level.”
Particularly “I’m a searching person”. Never have 4 words described me better.
I also just read your post about your “boring life” and resonate deeply.
Perhaps I too am a bored millennial!
Also this happens to be the first comment I’ve ever written on substack after just joining the platform myself. Thanks for making it a great first read for me :)
I'd love to have more bored millennials in my team Natalia 😍 but the good bored!!
Such an honour to receive your first comment and also for you reading my newsletter 🧡 It means a lot! Welcome to substack btw, I hope you have as much fun as I have 😄
Wow, I relate to this so much. I have a weird question for you. Have you ever looked into Human Design? It gave me so much insight into why I am the way I am. (I get bored easily too and have to constantly switch things up.) It could be something else to look into when you have some time.
Yes! Human Design has been recommended to me twice, but I never took the time to understand it properly. For me, discovering I'm neurodivergent answered a lot of my questions! Since HD has been crossing my path several time, it is probably a sign I have to take a look at it! Thank you for sharing Christina 🧡
Super relatable for me! About the same age as you, and I fulfilled my childhood dream of working on a high impact film as an animator/motion artist, and am at that point now where I'm exploring what's going to be next to fulfill me creatively. Writing is a big part of what's next :) Thanks for sharing.
Ok…so this is really random but today when I was walking down the hall at work feeling bored this idea hit me that maybe boredom is just being overly identified with self-concept and self referencing too much, like ultimately I’m bored with ‘Tara’ 🤣 some part of me giggles cause it knows deep down we’re so much more than the little ego identities our mind generates. So I guess there’s an ego death process/ death cycle that feels like boredom but is really a change to make room for more spirit. 🤷🏻♀️💜
Damn that's deep! And something feels true about it!! Wow, next level thinking about boredom. But love the idea of the ego death process, it does feel like that indeed. Boredom always pushes you further and let's you think deeper and make space indeed. 🧡🧡🧡 thank you so much for sharing this Tara! And sorry for my late reply - something wrong with my notifications!
Hi Marie! I saw myself in each sentence you wrote here. I think I've been struggling with boredom since I was a child, when I was often scolded for getting lost in daydreams. I've always been super efficient at work, but those bursts of energy quickly become moments of pure, unfulfilling boredom. The only thing that seems to capture my concentration and give me a sense of purpose is writing, hence why I joined Substack. I'm also trying to find my purpose and return to that little girl who was always blamed for letting her mind wander to tell her that, just maybe, it was actually her gift. Wishing you the best of luck on your quest. You have my support! By the way, I strongly recommend Johann Hari's book, 'Stolen Focus'. It's not about boredom per se, but it may help to explain why we have this feeling of lacking purpose.
Thank you, thank you so much for these incredibly kind words Aurelia. It means so much to me. Also to read that you recognise yourself in my words. Sometimes I feel like I'm alone in the world having these struggles. And writing also seems to give me this sense of purpose, although I only discovered it 2 years ago.
Those daydreams are so important, it's a gift if you can let your mind wander to beautiful places and draw inspiration and creativity from those moments.
Thank you for the reading recommandations. I have put it to my list!
I love this story! So relatable. Really appreciate hearing about your journey with boredom. Reading this made me ponder into the nature of boredom in my life. Yes, it seems to always creep up after a little while. With music, I get bored unless I’m learning new stuff. With work I get bored if I’m not being challenged by something I don’t think I can do. The boredom is actually like this amazing friend who’s always there to get me to my next step of creative discovery. Though I’m nOt a big baseball fan, I get the image of a base coach who cheers the batter on to run to the next base, “go, go, go!” Most of the cool shot I’ve done in my life came from a stinky compost bed of boredom. I’m actually pretty bored with my house now so I’m fixing to build a cob/earth cabin in my backyard because that would be so fun and challenging. Anyway, love this sub, so glad to meet you.
Thank you Christoph! Super glad to meet you too.
Boredom is something weird, scientist are not agreeing on what it exactly is either. It's fascinating but becomes dangerous when chronic.
Thank you for reading!!
Hi Marie! Your post hits home in many ways. The way I look at it, boredom is our mind's way of telling us that it's time we bring the challenge to ourselves and move from one quest to another so we don't get complacent. As humans, we have an ingrained desire for familiarity and comfort, but that's not going to help us evolve to our full human potential and experience life for what it is. And perhaps getting bored is a good thing in that way. Thank you for sharing the backstory. It's inspiring, and I'm excited to read more such insights.
Hi Rajeshwari! Thank you so much for taking the time for reading my story and leaving a comment. I really appreciate it.
You are absolutely right about boredom being a good thing. I believe that too, I would not be here writing newsletters was it not for the boredom. However, if it gets chronically and you don't have the tools to deal with it, it can become a silent killer. Here in Belgium they call it a bore-out. Same symptoms as burnout, but different cause, underperforming and lacking challenge.
However, it can be the accelerator for personal growth and growing your potential!
Have you ever experienced boredom leading to something good or creative?
I see how the bore-out situation can be more concerning. And I guess it's likely common among people in the creative arena. What do you think? For me, boredom has played its fair part in keeping me on the edge of burnout and has also helped me see what I had been ignoring while growing up. Like you, I also found solace in writing—when dealing with boredom in my university years, where I was majoring in chemistry. So yeah, that's my mini-backstory.
Wow, Rajeshwari, that was such a beautiful response!
Thank you, Lousie! Happy you liked it.
So this explains your title name 👍🏻 I can understand this boredom problem. I've felt it many times in many different scenarios in my life/career. What takes me out of it is taking on something meaningful going forward. Being new to Substack, I see a lot of us getting excited about the potential it offers. Looking forward to seeing the possibilities it offers for us.
Sorry for the embarrassingly late respons Phil 🙈 something wrong with my notification settings! Substack is right now the meaningful thing that takes me forward and gets me out of my boredom rut! Thanks for reading and for being here!!
Thank you Marie, for writing a post that I can seriously relate to. LOL. I went through this back in 2022. I was so bored with writing online and creating online programs that I started playing poker and making videos of me playing poker. Like, seriously. Just totally and utterly lost. It took me like a year and a half to find my footing again, which is what I'm doing here on Substack. How do you feel about writing on Substack? Are you finding it more enjoyable?
Haha sorry, this made me laugh out loud! Because it's so super relatable. I've been hearing the craziest stories of people being bored, somebody even started taking a pillow to work so he could sleep in his office. It's funny but at the same time - horrible.
I started writing on Medium a month ago, but not sure about the place (and I've just read your last Medium post...). I really love the concept of Substack, but haven't found my routine in it. I've been sending out newsletter twice a week (I have about 60 subscribers, most of them from LI)
I see your also active on LinkedIn? I started writing on LI end of 2022, but feel uninspired over there. How's that going for you?
So it's a search for me, to be honest! But I love writing, so not giving up!
Thank you for taking the time to read my story!
I got bored with LinkedIn from posting there the last 2.5 years. It's just the same crap every single time and for some reason LinkedIn doesn't promote my work that much. Just kinda sucks. I got bored on Medium, too, because they decided they didn't like me anymore sometime in mid-2021. Substack is giving me like boatloads of views and subscribers right now and I'm kinda shocked by it, to be honest. I'm happy with where I am. I feel really connected to my purpose writing with my Dad and also helping other writers again. I feel like once I connect with my purpose, everything else kind of just falls into place.
I love this, and feel the same about LinkedIn. It's more an 'I have to post' then a 'I want to post' on LinkedIn.
I saw you organised an accountability challenge for commenting on Substack this week, can I still join or is it too late?
Hey Marie! I saw you joined!! Welcome!! Yes, you can still come join us. I do this commenting thing as a regular habit that will continue going on past the 7 day challenge. I hope the community will do the same :) Welcome!
Reading this in June 2025 as I'm starting my own Substack & I always find it so inspiring to see where people started. I am obsessed with 'the building process', I guess. Thank you so much. Love from Slovenia. ❤️
What a great post!!
Thank you Jeanine!!
Upon reading your post again this AM, (and feeling bored!), I am thinking boredom simply is a sign we are not doing (living) the thing we should be doing 😖
And a sign to actually start doing them! big 😃
"My colleagues and boss noticed nothing, but I was getting bored. The job was too repetitive and unchallenging for me."
Love the story, Marie! I felt like reading about myself.
I’m always happy and a bit sad at the same time that people can relate. Happy because that makes me feel less alone and weird. Sad because I don’t wish this on anybody!
How did you get out of your boredom at work?
Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment!
Uhh... I constantly look for stimulations. I share tens of ideas with management, keep taking new challenges, keep experimenting etc.
...or when boss doesn't want to listen - just finishing what I have to finish and then doing "my" stuff.
But the hunger or boredom never fully disappears. And over time I must get more and more creative when seeking for opportunities.
But on a good note, such explorations always bring me new passions, new perspective, new things to try. On a bad note - my relatives always see me unsatisfied, always hungry, not enjoying "regular" things.
Same!! I recognize so many things from what you are saying. For me it’s the never-ending wanting to ‘improve myself’
This is great, and as a fellow neurodivergent millennial I can relate! I am still trying to iron out the particulars in my life, and figuring out why I’m like I am. It’s been a journey of radical self-acceptance. I can’t wait to read more of your articles.
Same for me @Artemis Simetra, it’s a never ending journey, but I kinda love it!
This has been my life and I am now 52. I've been “successful” but always felt something was missing and there had to be something better. I got bored because everything became fo felt easy for me and that frustrated the crap out if me.
I've recently begun to explore the possibility I have ADHD and the signs are good, best thing is knowing and geeltting answers or potential explanations for what the heck has been going on in my head for years without understanding why I seemed to feel and thing differently to everyone else, it was lonely.
ADHD might be the answer indeed, for me it was also a form of neurodivergence - only discovered some months ago. So good you are exploring and getting to know yourself better Darryl. It can be very lonely indeed.
I really resonate with what you shared:
“I'm a searching person. I'm content with what I have, but there's an undeniable longing for more, for pushing myself to another level.”
Particularly “I’m a searching person”. Never have 4 words described me better.
I also just read your post about your “boring life” and resonate deeply.
Perhaps I too am a bored millennial!
Also this happens to be the first comment I’ve ever written on substack after just joining the platform myself. Thanks for making it a great first read for me :)
I'd love to have more bored millennials in my team Natalia 😍 but the good bored!!
Such an honour to receive your first comment and also for you reading my newsletter 🧡 It means a lot! Welcome to substack btw, I hope you have as much fun as I have 😄
Thanks! It kinda feels like I’ll get along pretty well around here. I read a lot and enjoy writing too so I think I should fit in 🥰
You are already fitting in 😍
Wow, I relate to this so much. I have a weird question for you. Have you ever looked into Human Design? It gave me so much insight into why I am the way I am. (I get bored easily too and have to constantly switch things up.) It could be something else to look into when you have some time.
Yes! Human Design has been recommended to me twice, but I never took the time to understand it properly. For me, discovering I'm neurodivergent answered a lot of my questions! Since HD has been crossing my path several time, it is probably a sign I have to take a look at it! Thank you for sharing Christina 🧡
It is definitely a sign! (You'll see. haha) It's a fascinating subject.
As a fellow kindred bored millennial this sounds like my cup of tea!
Whoop whoop! 🙌 Soon we'll have to throw a party for the bored millennials - the type we actually like 😂
Super relatable for me! About the same age as you, and I fulfilled my childhood dream of working on a high impact film as an animator/motion artist, and am at that point now where I'm exploring what's going to be next to fulfill me creatively. Writing is a big part of what's next :) Thanks for sharing.
That sounds honestly epic! How cool you achieved your childhood dream 🤩 and a new creative endeavour is always fun!! Hope you enjoy the journey.
Thank you so much for reading!!
Ok…so this is really random but today when I was walking down the hall at work feeling bored this idea hit me that maybe boredom is just being overly identified with self-concept and self referencing too much, like ultimately I’m bored with ‘Tara’ 🤣 some part of me giggles cause it knows deep down we’re so much more than the little ego identities our mind generates. So I guess there’s an ego death process/ death cycle that feels like boredom but is really a change to make room for more spirit. 🤷🏻♀️💜
Damn that's deep! And something feels true about it!! Wow, next level thinking about boredom. But love the idea of the ego death process, it does feel like that indeed. Boredom always pushes you further and let's you think deeper and make space indeed. 🧡🧡🧡 thank you so much for sharing this Tara! And sorry for my late reply - something wrong with my notifications!
Hi Marie! I saw myself in each sentence you wrote here. I think I've been struggling with boredom since I was a child, when I was often scolded for getting lost in daydreams. I've always been super efficient at work, but those bursts of energy quickly become moments of pure, unfulfilling boredom. The only thing that seems to capture my concentration and give me a sense of purpose is writing, hence why I joined Substack. I'm also trying to find my purpose and return to that little girl who was always blamed for letting her mind wander to tell her that, just maybe, it was actually her gift. Wishing you the best of luck on your quest. You have my support! By the way, I strongly recommend Johann Hari's book, 'Stolen Focus'. It's not about boredom per se, but it may help to explain why we have this feeling of lacking purpose.
Thank you, thank you so much for these incredibly kind words Aurelia. It means so much to me. Also to read that you recognise yourself in my words. Sometimes I feel like I'm alone in the world having these struggles. And writing also seems to give me this sense of purpose, although I only discovered it 2 years ago.
Those daydreams are so important, it's a gift if you can let your mind wander to beautiful places and draw inspiration and creativity from those moments.
Thank you for the reading recommandations. I have put it to my list!