~WAYS TO FEEL BETTER ~
Getting rid of the blahs. Yawn: is it just me?
Stephanie is stuck in a rut. She knows she seems bland and uninteresting since she lost the election for class president but her ego was badly bruised. In her room, watching reruns and eating Rice Krispy Treats, no one laughs at her defeat. She turns on the TV which, with cable, has 55 choices of shows to watch, and can’t find one to hold her attention. She’s aware her friends are starting to resent her. She wants to feel differently but can’t see any alternative. She is praying this feeling will pass.
Danielle feels like she’s lost interest in life. Her parents expect her to be making major decisions soon: What colleges to apply to, where she’s going to get a job next summer, how she wants to reorganize her room before the painters come. She has no energy to sort out any answers and hasn’t felt like calling a friend in weeks. Which seems just fine with them, too. It’s been so long since she’s enjoyed tennis and dancing, two of her favorite things.
Rebecca paces around her room. Restless, she picks things up, then puts them down in the same exact place. She glances in the mirror and sees a girl leading a monotonous dull, existence but she’s too tired to care about making a change. If only I were prettier or richer or more popular, she thinks, then I wouldn’t ever be bored.
There’s not a person around who hasn’t, at one time or another, shared the girls’ feelings. We get bored when our lives need updating, when we’ve been doing the same things the same way for too long. There’s no doubt change is scary, but we promise if you attempt to try something different, you might be intimidated, but you won’t be bored.
Why we get bored...
Maybe we’re afraid someone won’t like us. Getting involved means stepping out of the box and taking a risk. What if you go to that party and no one says hello? Or you double fault and lose the game? Too many of us put unreasonable limits on what we are willing to try. We might be bored and miserable but at least it’s familiar. We know there’ll be no surprises. It takes courage to change.
Why it’s important to lift yourself out of that rut...
Boredom is the most overlooked cause of an extraordinary variety of personal and social problems. While it is not the same as depression (a bored person blames the way she feels on outward causes; a depressed person blames herself), when it lasts too long or comes back too frequently, it can lead to depression. Boredom is one of the most frequently cited reasons for dropping out of school, a decision made by more than 2,000 teens every day. It is also a factor in eating disorders, addictions, a loss of self esteem, and sexual promiscuity.
What can you do to feel better?
1. Take baby steps. Vary your routine. Rent a thriller if you usually watch romantic comedies. If emptying the dishwasher drives you crazy, trade chores with your sister.
2. Instead of waiting for someone else to call and make plans, call first. Smile first at someone new. Volunteer.
3. Exercise. You’ve heard it a million times but it’s true. Exercise makes all kinds of things feel better.
4. Stop thinking the rest of the world has a better life than you do. Every single person on earth has a share in happiness, anxiety, victories, and failures.
5. Fight it. Don’t surrender to feeling bloopy. Your life’s success is all about your behavior and your attitude. You are stronger and smarter than any mood. Go for it!
