Are you feeling bored and lonely? Boredom and loneliness are surprisingly common feelings that can leave anyone unmotivated and uninspired. Avoiding it like the plague or trying to hide under a rock and avoid your feelings just leaves you feeling, well, even more bored and lonely.

Nobody wants bored and lonely in their life.

The worst thing about loneliness is that it’s seen as the ultimate buzzkill, like the party pooper that nobody invited. The more bored and lonely you are, the more likely it is that you’ll avoid social interactions, or worse, bore the socks out of whoever you’re talking to.

Embracing loneliness

But what if I told you that being alone can be pretty cool?  When you’re alone, you have the chance to focus on yourself and figure out what really matters. Think about it –  you can really dig into your goals, values, and dreams without anyone else’s opinions getting in the way. It’s like a little mental vacation from the rest of the world.

In fact, some of the coolest people in history have embraced loneliness. Steve Jobs used to go on long walks alone to come up with ideas for Apple products, and J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter while sitting alone in cafes for hours.

Healthy solitude vs. chronic loneliness

Now, I’m not saying that being bored and alone all the time is a good thing. If you’re feeling bored and lonely, or sad all the time, it’s important to reach out for help. There is a big difference between healthy solitude and chronic loneliness.

If you’re constantly bored and lonely, it can lead to depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.  However, acknowledging and accepting our loneliness can help us to figure out what we need to do to feel more connected and fulfilled.

So, how can you start embracing loneliness in your own life? Here are some tips that might tickle your fancy:

Blue-footed Booby Success Formula: 7 Ways to turn bored and lonely into fun and interesting

1. Be as weird as you want to be

Whether it’s having a solo dance party where you crank up your favourite tunes and shaking what your mama gave you, dressing up and pretending to be a movie character or rockstar, do something that’s completely weird and off-kilter, even for you.

2. Get creative

Tap into your creative side and make something cool. Draw, scrawl, paint, or crochet your own masterpiece. If you have zero talent in this area, play around with AI and see what a robot can do under your masterful instruction.

3. Talk to yourself

Yes, you read that right. Have a little conversation with yourself and see what kind of wisdom you can impart to yourself. Pretend to be your future, best self and see what you come up with. Write your wise words down for future reference.

4. Embrace solitude

Schedule some time each day or each week to be alone with your thoughts. Whether it’s going for a walk, reading a book, or just sitting quietly, make it a habit to spend some quality time with yourself. Use this time to practice being present and mindful, without judgement. Don’t forget to observe your own (minty) breath flowing in and out.

5. Take a bubble bath

Get all pruney and relaxed in a warm bath with some scented candles and soothing music. Who needs a friend when you have bubble bath? If you really, really want company, there’s always your favourite rubber duck (innuendo intended).

6. Expand your squad

While it’s important to embrace solitude, it’s also important to reach out and connect to your squad. Make an effort to reach out to friends and family, or find new awesome people to be part of your squad by joining community groups that share your interests (or that you could imagine yourself being part of).

7. Try something new

Even if you don’t have interests or hobbies at present, just try something new and see what happens (e.g. pretend to be a tourist in your city and take a tour, sign up for dance lessons, try a cooking class, or take up hiking). Liking yourself is the first step to being a little less bored and lonely, so don’t delay, be the person you always wanted to be!

Remember, loneliness doesn’t have to be a constant bummer. Bored and lonely feelings can help you tap into your inner resources, discover new things about yourself, and ultimately find a greater sense of fulfillment and happiness.

So, go ahead and take some time to be alone today – you might be surprised at what you discover.

If you try any of these tips to disrupt that bored and lonely feeling, please share your experiences in the comments below or shoot us an email. We’d love to hear about the incredible ways your life has changed as a result. As always, don’t forget to join the blue-foot flock. We’re looking for a tribe of quirky followers who want to learn about positive ways to change their lives!