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11 Refreshing Ways to Bring Out the Awesomeness in Life

Article by Zen Habits contributor Jonathan Mead.

I often get caught up in the hectic nature of life. I get bogged down with things to do and the drive to be productive. It’s hard not to get sucked into the routine of living and take life for granted. Sometimes it’s hard to stay excited about life.

This is especially true when you’re working toward long term goals that might not be realized for a few months or even years. I’ve been working on building my blog for the past seven months. I eventually want to turn this into the main source of my income, so I can quit my job and stop selling my time to someone else. While I feel very passionate about this goal, it probably won’t be realized for a few months or a year (at the most). It’s difficult for me sometimes to stay excited about my goals, when I’m currently working toward someone else’s to pay the bills (see this article).

It’s time like these when I get bored with work. I get bored with routines and monotony. The opposite of happiness after all isn’t sadness or depression.

It’s boredom.

I recurrently have to keep myself in check. I have to balance my goals that will be realized in the future, with being happy now. After all, isn’t now all we’ve got?

So how can we stay excited about life? How can we remain passionate about living, and not get trapped in the cycle of routines?

Here are some things that I personally do to help keep me stay excited about life.

Return to simplicity. Simplification is about de-cluttering your life. It’s not just de-cluttering our homes and spaces though, it’s simplifying our mental and emotional realms. It’s shedding the baggage of self-limiting beliefs and constant mental chatter. It’s finding some quietude in your life.
Stop labeling. It’s amazing how much we think we’re experiencing life, but we’re really just thinking about it. I want you to try a little exercise with me. Take a look at something around you. Maybe it’s a photo, a plant, or your keyboard. Our normal state of mind is to think about the object we’re looking at, to conceptualize it in our mind and place labels on it. Now look at the same object and don’t think about it. If this is difficult for you, that’s okay. Relax and just look. Let go. Notice a difference? That’s because when you’re not thinking about what you’re things, you’re actually experiencing life directly. The labels in our mind are simply abstractions, they’re not reality itself. Try doing this more often: when you’re in line at the grocery store, walking your dog, listening to music, etc. You’ll start to enjoy your experience much more.
Enjoy the simple things in life. This goes along with quieting our minds as well. The next time you eat a piece of fruit or enjoy a cup of coffee or tea, simply enjoy it. Sounds like a pretty obvious suggestion right? Well it is, but most of the time we do exactly the opposite. We’re not just eating or drinking, we’re thinking about all sorts of things. We’re thinking about the next item of action; taking out the dog to use the bathroom, the mail we need to take to the post office, etc. The next time you eat or drink, just do that. You will experience the flavors and tastes at if it were the first time.
Change things up. Try something new. Do something you’ve always wanted to do, but have never gotten around to. If you’ve always wanted to learn to play tennis, go out and buy a tennis racket and a ball. If you don’t have a partner, you can always play the wall. =)
Make time for what you love. We often get burnt out because we’re busy working and attending to obligations. If we are not doing anything we’re excited about, we’ll likely start resenting our lives. It’s important to make time every day doing things you really enjoy.
Drop unwanted commitments. Just as we need to make time for doing things we love, we also need to prune the things we aren’t passionate about. Some things aren’t really negotiable. If you don’t pay your electricity bill, you will be eating by candlelight. But other so-called obligations aren’t really necessary. A good test is to ask yourself if your commitment is something that’s really adding to your life. Is it enhancing your life, or is it just adding more stress? Sometimes quitting is the best answer when simplifying your life.
Focus on what matters. I have a tendency to want everything to be perfect. I want to edit every article I write until I can’t tell whether or not it’s good anymore. Then I edit it some more. I later realize that even when I don’t get as good of a response as I hoped for, no one really care. Except me. You have the option to not care about things being less than perfect too. Realize that your return on investment decreases rapidly. Studying for 8 hours a week might get you a 3.8 GPA, while studying for 20 hours might earn you a 4.0. Is that extra .2 really worth it? Focus on what matters and stop stressing so much that you’re no longer enjoying life.
Let go. Relaxation is possible. I know, it scares me too. The thought of not obsessing over all the things I didn’t get done today is often terrifying. But it’s okay. There will always be tomorrow. On your deathbed do you really think you’re going to be thinking about the to-do list you didn’t complete? I don’t think so. You’ll probably be thinking about how you wished you would have had more fun, spent more time with your family and enjoyed life more.
Embrace your inner geek. We’re all geeky about certain things. I admit that I’m a design geek. I can sit for hours obsessing over typefaces, color palates and white space. I seriously live for this stuff though, so it’s okay to obsess a little. The point is, when I design, draw, and write, I lose track of time. I embrace my inner geek and all I’m thinking about is what I’m doing. I’m not worrying about how it will turn out, I’m not thinking about the phone bill I need to pay. I’m just there. Think about what really makes you geek out. A good indicator is that it’s something you get super excited about that makes other people give you strange looks.
Be grateful. I’m certainly not the first one to say this. But it bears repeating. Every time I am in a rut or feeling sorry for myself, I try to remember to be grateful. Just being grateful to be alive is a powerful thing. You never know when you’re going to leave this world. You never know if you’ll have another chance to write that novel you have been meaning to, run that marathon or tell your lover how you feel about her.
Reassess your priorities. Are you living for today, or solely for the achievement of your next project? Do you stress out about what’s on your to-do list more than living in the moment? If you’re at all like me, you occasionally fall into this rut as well. We have to find a balance in achievement and contentment. Sometimes it’s not about getting what you want, but wanting what you have. It’s not about achieving the completion of a project, but enjoying the process of creativity.

When striving for personal growth, it’s easy to get caught up in living for our next achievement. Our next success and the next mountain that we aim to conquer. But if we’re not living for today, what’s the point? If we’re never able to enjoy life now, it’s probably time we reassess our priorities.

Milestones and achievements —graduations, promotions, etc.— make up a small fraction of life.

If the majority of our days are “normal day” then maybe we should spend more time trying to find everyday bliss.

This article was written by Zen Habits contributor Jonathan Mead of the Illuminated Mind blog. For more ways to experience everyday bliss subscribe to his blog.

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If you liked this article, please share it on del.icio.us, StumbleUpon or Digg. I’d appreciate it. :)

11 Refreshing Ways to Bring Out the Awesomeness in Life

Article by Zen Habits contributor Jonathan Mead.

It’s time like these when I get bored with work. I get bored with routines and monotony. The opposite of happiness after all isn’t sadness or depression.

It’s boredom.

I recurrently have to keep myself in check. I have to balance my goals that will be realized in the future, with being happy now. After all, isn’t now all we’ve got?

So how can we stay excited about life? How can we remain passionate about living, and not get trapped in the cycle of routines?

Here are some things that I personally do to help keep me stay excited about life.

Return to simplicity. Simplification is about de-cluttering your life. It’s not just de-cluttering our homes and spaces though, it’s simplifying our mental and emotional realms. It’s shedding the baggage of self-limiting beliefs and constant mental chatter. It’s finding some quietude in your life.
Stop labeling. It’s amazing how much we think we’re experiencing life, but we’re really just thinking about it. I want you to try a little exercise with me. Take a look at something around you. Maybe it’s a photo, a plant, or your keyboard. Our normal state of mind is to think about the object we’re looking at, to conceptualize it in our mind and place labels on it. Now look at the same object and don’t think about it. If this is difficult for you, that’s okay. Relax and just look. Let go. Notice a difference? That’s because when you’re not thinking about what you’re things, you’re actually experiencing life directly. The labels in our mind are simply abstractions, they’re not reality itself. Try doing this more often: when you’re in line at the grocery store, walking your dog, listening to music, etc. You’ll start to enjoy your experience much more.
Enjoy the simple things in life. This goes along with quieting our minds as well. The next time you eat a piece of fruit or enjoy a cup of coffee or tea, simply enjoy it. Sounds like a pretty obvious suggestion right? Well it is, but most of the time we do exactly the opposite. We’re not just eating or drinking, we’re thinking about all sorts of things. We’re thinking about the next item of action; taking out the dog to use the bathroom, the mail we need to take to the post office, etc. The next time you eat or drink, just do that. You will experience the flavors and tastes at if it were the first time.
Change things up. Try something new. Do something you’ve always wanted to do, but have never gotten around to. If you’ve always wanted to learn to play tennis, go out and buy a tennis racket and a ball. If you don’t have a partner, you can always play the wall. =)
Make time for what you love. We often get burnt out because we’re busy working and attending to obligations. If we are not doing anything we’re excited about, we’ll likely start resenting our lives. It’s important to make time every day doing things you really enjoy.
Drop unwanted commitments. Just as we need to make time for doing things we love, we also need to prune the things we aren’t passionate about. Some things aren’t really negotiable. If you don’t pay your electricity bill, you will be eating by candlelight. But other so-called obligations aren’t really necessary. A good test is to ask yourself if your commitment is something that’s really adding to your life. Is it enhancing your life, or is it just adding more stress? Sometimes quitting is the best answer when simplifying your life.
Focus on what matters. I have a tendency to want everything to be perfect. I want to edit every article I write until I can’t tell whether or not it’s good anymore. Then I edit it some more. I later realize that even when I don’t get as good of a response as I hoped for, no one really care. Except me. You have the option to not care about things being less than perfect too. Realize that your return on investment decreases rapidly. Studying for 8 hours a week might get you a 3.8 GPA, while studying for 20 hours might earn you a 4.0. Is that extra .2 really worth it? Focus on what matters and stop stressing so much that you’re no longer enjoying life.
Let go. Relaxation is possible. I know, it scares me too. The thought of not obsessing over all the things I didn’t get done today is often terrifying. But it’s okay. There will always be tomorrow. On your deathbed do you really think you’re going to be thinking about the to-do list you didn’t complete? I don’t think so. You’ll probably be thinking about how you wished you would have had more fun, spent more time with your family and enjoyed life more.
Embrace your inner geek. We’re all geeky about certain things. I admit that I’m a design geek. I can sit for hours obsessing over typefaces, color palates and white space. I seriously live for this stuff though, so it’s okay to obsess a little. The point is, when I design, draw, and write, I lose track of time. I embrace my inner geek and all I’m thinking about is what I’m doing. I’m not worrying about how it will turn out, I’m not thinking about the phone bill I need to pay. I’m just there. Think about what really makes you geek out. A good indicator is that it’s something you get super excited about that makes other people give you strange looks.
Be grateful. I’m certainly not the first one to say this. But it bears repeating. Every time I am in a rut or feeling sorry for myself, I try to remember to be grateful. Just being grateful to be alive is a powerful thing. You never know when you’re going to leave this world. You never know if you’ll have another chance to write that novel you have been meaning to, run that marathon or tell your lover how you feel about her.
Reassess your priorities. Are you living for today, or solely for the achievement of your next project? Do you stress out about what’s on your to-do list more than living in the moment? If you’re at all like me, you occasionally fall into this rut as well. We have to find a balance in achievement and contentment. Sometimes it’s not about getting what you want, but wanting what you have. It’s not about achieving the completion of a project, but enjoying the process of creativity.

Milestones and achievements —graduations, promotions, etc.— make up a small fraction of life.

If the majority of our days are “normal day” then maybe we should spend more time trying to find everyday bliss.

Posted on 28 September 2008 in Goals, Happiness, Simplicity |
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Comments (73)

Shanel Yang Says:

September 28th, 2008, 21:10 pm

The cure for boredom is finding something you’re truly passionate about and letting yourself run with it! : )

"Motivate Thyself" Says:

September 28th, 2008, 21:11 pm

This is a very timely post. It’s been a tiring, busy weekend and it’s nice to read something that helps me take a deep breath and relax.

#2 is a great one: Stop labeling

It’s natural for us to label those things we come in contact with every day. It’s our brains way of being efficient. But, like you said, we end up passing over wonderful blessings in our lives because we think we already have it all figured out. Taking a fresh look at our lives, the people in them and the things around us is great advise.

Another excellent guest post Jonathan!

irish Says:

September 28th, 2008, 21:23 pm

another great post Leo. thank you for inspiring people. I always make sure that I keep on track on what you have to say next. your insights are helpful. thanks for helping people understand life more. i think this is my first time commenting. :) but i’ve been hear for a pretty long time already. and i’ve been referring my friends who have the same interest as mine to take a look at your great site. :)

Fit Bottomed GIrl Says:

September 28th, 2008, 21:45 pm

Wonderful post. I’ve been working hard all day…I think it’s time to sit back and read a book. Not because I should, but because I want to. :)

Amanda Linehan Says:

September 28th, 2008, 22:15 pm

#2 “Stop Labeling”

This is a great reminder. When you think too much about everything, you use up a lot of energy!

Darren Alff - Bicycle Touring Pro Says:

September 28th, 2008, 22:29 pm

The main way that I return to simplicity, stop labeling, enjoy the simple things in life… and all the other things you mentioned in this article… is to go on a bicycle tour.

On a bicycle tour you ride for day after day, for weeks or months on end. After a significant of time on the road, you learn to slow down and appreciate the few things that you have. A bike tour teaches you what is truly important in life. It allows you to stop and smell the roses. It is fun and rewarding. It’s one of those things that once you are finished, you will forever be able to look back and say, “Wow! I did it!”

I did my first bicycle tour at the age of 17 and since that time have gone on a long distance bicycle tour every single year. I’ve currently ridden through 29 of the 50 United States and 7 different countries. The reason I think bicycles touring is so great is because it really does make you appreciate the small things in life. This article reminded me of what I get out of my bike tours, so thank you!

Your Friendly Neighborhood Computer Guy Says:

September 28th, 2008, 22:45 pm

Great list! I’m not sure about #2 though. While I understand why it would be a great excercise to not judge other people with labels, I’m not sure how that applies to everyday things. Even if I don’t think of the stapler as a stapler, it’s still the thing I use to connect peices of paper with a metal strip. Hmmm, maybe I’m not grasping the concept because its Sunday night and I’m tired. I’ll read this again on Monday morning to see if that gives me a “fresh perspective”. :-)

John Ek Says:

September 28th, 2008, 23:26 pm

Awesome blog. I plan on implementing as much of this as I can as soon as I can ;)

Leo Says:

September 29th, 2008, 0:12 am

Thanks for the great comments, guys! Just to clarify, though … the post is by Jonathan Mead, who is now a Zen Habits contributor.

Vered - MomGrind Says:

September 29th, 2008, 0:21 am

I’ve been enjoying the simple things in life more often lately. It’s exactly like you say: when you stop to taste, smell, feel - it’s like you’re experiencing these things for the very first time.

Jonathan Mead Says:

September 29th, 2008, 0:23 am

@ Fit Bottomed Girl: It’s hard sometimes not to “should ourselves.” Imagine if we all just did what we wanted. Or at least defined what we did as wants, instead of shoulds.

@ YFNCY: Obviously we have to think about things to a certain degree. Daily living depends on it. But we don’t have to talk to ourselves all the time. A better example would probably be if you’re sitting in a park. Or by a waterfall. You would probably be much happier just enjoying the experience and taking it in, then thinking about it. Or thinking about the future or the past.

@ Shanel: Well put!

@ Leo: Thanks for clearing that up. =)

AJ Says:

September 29th, 2008, 0:50 am

I’m all up for simplicity and letting go.

Sid Savara Says:

September 29th, 2008, 0:55 am

Wow Jonathan you’re everywhere!

Great post. My favorite in this list is dropping unwanted commitments. I think Corinne Edwards recently touched on that point as well, in her post about how it’s ok to say no.

It’s something I have been trying to do in my life, but I do still have trouble with it. It’s hard to decide sometimes what is an unwanted commitment you REALLY don’t need, and what is something that just needs to be put on hold for a little while, and that you really do want to have in your life.

Stephen - Balanced Existence Says:

September 29th, 2008, 1:09 am

Thanks for your timely post Jonathan. I myself am going through a similar situation with medium to long-term goals and blogging. I personally love novelty. For me variety is the spice of life. Which is why my blog jumps from meditation, to excitotoxins in food, to kettlebells, to Buddhism, to motivation and back again.

I especially like your point about labeling things. Language is mutually agreed upon symbolic behavior. A word is a symbol. Which means it symbolizes something as opposed to actually being something. It has often fascinated me that we most often think within the structure of a language. This means we are thinking in a socially conditioned and therefore limited manner. Amazing!

Also I think letting go is probably the single most hardest thing to do in life. The rewards however are well worth the effort.

Nice article.

bong florendo Says:

September 29th, 2008, 1:23 am

a very timely post. our life sometimes run at breakneck speeds and before you know it, you have passed by some very important aspects and no matter what you do, you cannot turn it all around. i like nos. 1 and 11. kudos to you sir for this post.

J.D. Meier Says:

September 29th, 2008, 1:27 am

You have a knack for nailing issues. I think #5 is particularly key and it goes in hand with #7. You only have so much life force to spend each day, but the interesting thing is the more you spend it on your passions, the more it seems to grow.

Paul Says:

September 29th, 2008, 3:04 am

Thanks Jonathon
No.2 really surprised me.Made me away of a space inside me that I didn’t know was there. Going try the neutral brain gear a bit more today. Has a refreshing feel about it.

Glen Allsopp Says:

September 29th, 2008, 3:10 am

Excellent post Jonathan, I look forward to seeing more of your stuff over here. I definitely like number 8 as that resonates with me and what I’m trying to do.

Cheers,
Glen

Mahmudur Says:

September 29th, 2008, 3:44 am

great post Jonathan. keep it up.
http://dewdropofjupiter.blogspot.com/

nick Says:

September 29th, 2008, 4:12 am

Great list. As a child I used to think I was bored because I there was nothing to do. I later realized that I just didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do or that I didn’t want to do the things I should really be doing.

bramster Says:

September 29th, 2008, 5:18 am

Nice Post!

Great pick me up on a Monday morning in London.

Boob Biter Says:

September 29th, 2008, 5:23 am

The wall always wins.

nudgeme Says:

September 29th, 2008, 6:24 am

Enjoyed this post Jonathan. I especially agree with number 6 to drop unwanted commitments. It’s so easy to get bogged down with doing things that we think we should do rather than perhaps want to do so it’s always a good idea to review these regularly. Also, just simply stopping doing the things we don’t like or don’t enjoy can mean you’ll inevitably have more time to focus on what you do. Maintaining commitments to family and friends are obviously important - so for me that would be keeping in regular contact, remembering to spend good times together - it’s your use of the word ‘unwanted’ commitments that makes the point well.

roentarre Says:

September 29th, 2008, 6:44 am

Your motivation technique is surely a blast.

It does help me at a difficult time!

Thanks for this wonderful post.

tigerbee Says:

September 29th, 2008, 7:25 am

I’ve been in boredom mode at work a lot lately and really was in tune with this post. It takes so long to get to the long term goal sometimes that I forget that there is a finish for this leg of the race. And the beautiful scenery we’re running past should be enjoyed!

Jolynn Says:

September 29th, 2008, 7:35 am

WOW!

Leo, that is a GREAT post! You’re such a good and prolific writer. This article you’ve written is just what I needed today. You are such an inspiration to me. Your writing in articles like this is one of the things that keeps me going in what can sometimes be a tough life.

THANKS, LEO, for being such a great guy, and being such a great WRITER!

All the best to you, brother.

pawan Says:

September 29th, 2008, 9:44 am

Hi,

Excellent post, I look forward to seeing more of your stuff over here.

Sue Says:

September 29th, 2008, 10:09 am

AH! Boredom sucks! This post is great!

Success Professor Says:

September 29th, 2008, 10:15 am

Great list. My favorite choices are #10 & 11. Being grateful for life and for the good things in life is a powerful way to put you in the right frame of mind for the now. The ability to reassess your priorities is vital. In fact, you should build in an opportunity to reassess your priorities on a weekly and monthly basis.

I do think we need to change #6 - drop unwanted commitments. I think this should be - drop unimportant commitments. I know I always have a lot of commitments - the problem is I want them all. They are all things I WANT to do. That doesn’t mean that I should do them all.

Greg - Lost Coffee Says:

September 29th, 2008, 10:31 am

Nice timing on this one! I’ve got a billion things going on right now in my life and so I needed to remind myself of some of your points. The ideas of simplicity, letting out that inner geek and finding some time to allow myself let go and relax are ideas I intend to embrace. Thanks Jonathan!

Maria | Never the Same River Twice Says:

September 29th, 2008, 11:48 am

Jonathan, these are great ideas. To expand on your dilemma a bit (being caught between your life now and the life you want to live) - I’m in a similar situation. What I try to do is make my life as close to my ideal as I can - Right Now.

As an example, I want to spend a lot of time in the Caribbean. One of the things I love about that part of the world is the island cuisine. I’ve started to learn how to cook some of the dishes that I love so much. It’s not the same as dinner on St. Barts, but it’s a fun experience that moves me closer to the life I want.

Ashley Says:

September 29th, 2008, 12:30 pm

This was JUST what I needed! Your posts always lift my spirits and bring me back to “the now”…thank you!

Arctor Heisenburg Says:

September 29th, 2008, 12:34 pm

This post will make my day, my week, my month and most likely a lot of my life that much better; to see someone as well thought out as you giving advice like this really lifts the weight from my mind, thankyou.

Barry Says:

September 29th, 2008, 13:20 pm

Although Jonathan seems to have something to say, the fact that he is only 23 does bother me a little. I have enjoyed reading Zen Habits for the past year, and it is the only “blog” that I read on a daily basis. I have enjoyed keeping up with Leo, but I may have to look for a more conservative forum for forms of perspective. I am by no means “ancicent” at 44, but realizing that I’m reading what is essentially an advice column written by someone a full drinking adult younger than me occurs to me as a little silly.
Thanks for a great year, Leo!

Jonathan Mead Says:

September 29th, 2008, 13:48 pm

@ Barry: You’re more than welcome to read only Leo’s posts. Certainly no one is forcing you to read mine.

I personally follow my own common sense in learning. If I feel something makes sense, then that’s great! I just learned something new. If it doesn’t, I move on.

(lacking) Buddha Hands! Says:

September 29th, 2008, 14:38 pm

someone meet me irl and teach me to relax with all this stopping the mental chatter business! IT CAN’T BE DONE ARRGHH. impossibility. school. economy. not being able to sleep as much as needed. other misc tasks that need to be done. these things do not change regardless of mind-frame! that is, unless I’m approaching everything all wrong. vacation is great, sure, but then it’s right back to constant discouraging stuff!

feel like I’m ‘ancient’ at age 20!

btw love the blog, always have. helps to calm me down at least sometimes.

Barry Says:

September 29th, 2008, 14:44 pm

Nothing against you, Johathan. You certainly seem to have it all together (more than most) for a person your age. I suppose that if writing is pure perspective, I read with perspective, also. I have always put a great deal of stock into age and experience, and still want my doctors, lawyers, and professional people to be older than me, no matter how silly that is. None the less, good luck to you in all that you do.

Jonathan Mead Says:

September 29th, 2008, 14:51 pm

@ Barry: I have no doubt that works to some degree. It’s easier to trust older people, that have been around longer and experienced more things. But sometimes that can fail (see: George Bush).

I personally think passion has a lot to do with the quality of your experience as well.

A doctor that has been practicing for 30 years, but does not enjoy being a doctor, will not have as much experience as someone that has been practicing for 15 years but is completely passionate about his practice. That’s because enthusiasm and passion infuses the desire to grow and study beyond just what is required.

Barry Says:

September 29th, 2008, 15:05 pm

…and maybe, Jonathan, you’ve just answered the question of why I wrote my own ending to my participation in the first place.

I was about to say something about idealism…and youth, and something…when I look down the page at who participates in this discussion every day, I see that most of these people, including you, are much younger than me, and full of idealism. Maybe I believe that the ideals are tempered with time and age, and there should at some times be more practicality injected…but perhaps it’s the idealism that I come for, and it’s the youth of the participants that serves as the vessel.

Maybe I’ve learned something.

Thank you.

Andrea Hess|Intuition In Business Says:

September 29th, 2008, 15:32 pm

There’s nothing like a little boredom to force us to examine ourselves, our mind chatter, our beliefs … maybe that’s why we spend so much time rushing into the new, the next goal, the next problem to solve. Being present and peaceful with what IS is a tough skill to master. It’s when we are excited by peace, by nothing “happening” that we tap into excitement about life itself.

Blessings,
Andrea

Raj Says:

September 29th, 2008, 15:54 pm

“The opposite of happiness after all isn’t sadness or depression.”

Too bad you didn’t credit Tim Feriss for this seemingly original thought.

Tiny Now Says:

September 29th, 2008, 16:42 pm

Synchronicity abounds. I am in the process of composing a post about the longing for repetition vs. the longing for newness.

What is it with humans that something that was good yesterday is no good today?

I think it has a lot to do with #2 - labeling. Everything is new, it is just our labels that are old.

After reading your post, I looked at my keyboard. It is a dirty ergonomic model made by Microsoft, now suddenly imbued with the glow of history as well as wonder. What an invention! How many words have been typed on this beauty? How peculiar the order of the letters is! What an amazingly economical interface - 80 or so keys = infinite potential for communication and creation!

Why be bored when you have such a cool thing at your fingertips?

“Human time does not turn in a circle; it runs ahead in a straight line. That is why man cannot be happy: happiness is the longing for repetition.”
-Milan Kundera

Angel Cuala Says:

September 29th, 2008, 19:37 pm

I have been hearing this blog from Darren Rowse, so I read a few then subscribe to it. Now, I know why he keeps on mentioning it.

Anyway, with the fast pacing way of life now given the innovating technology that is being invented by man to make life easier, life can still be boring.

This mean we still have to go back to the basics of life - passion and simplicity.

Thanks for reminding us.

Liora Hess Says:

September 29th, 2008, 20:26 pm

Great post, Jonathan. When I start feeling bored, it’s a sign I need to set some new goals and really stretch for something BIG. That’s when excitement builds again. Oddly enough, when I’m excited about personal goals, working my bread-and-butter job doesn’t seem so mind-numbingly boring. Living fully with balance helps. Too much work–too much of *anything*–makes work harder for me to do.

And I’ve got to disagree with Barry on this one. How fully one has lived doesn’t depend on their age. How many of us have met people in mid-life who have never really grown up and taken responsibility? Equally, I am not extremely interested in hearing advice from someone who may have accomplished something long ago but is now not accomplishing much other than trying to stretch that old accomplishment for all it’s worth. All any one of us has is now. If you take a look at Jonathan’s blog, you’ll see wisdom that transcends years. Sometimes people just get “it” early. I have an idea that’s one of the reasons he was asked to write here.

Liora Hess Says:

September 29th, 2008, 20:33 pm

Barry, I just noticed your comment about the posters here being much younger than you. Well, I’m 40, and have had some circumstances in the last couple of years that have reinfused me with idealism. Or maybe more accurate words are hope, confidence, and a certain willingness to explore and fail.

I think we have to be careful not to have hardening of spirit as well as hardening of arteries as we grow older. :) It’s extremely invigorating to start believing that you actually have the power to do great things no matter how many years have passed. I respect your right to hold your own views and appreciate that you’ve gotten me to think more about these things.

Raj Says:

September 29th, 2008, 21:16 pm

Jonathan, what’s your take on plagiarizing from published authors and passing off their ideas as your own?

Jonathan Mead Says:

September 29th, 2008, 21:39 pm

@ Raj: To be honest it’s been a little over a year since I read the 4HWW. I did originally get that idea from Tim’s book, but I’ve been using it in my own thinking so much ever since, I guess I forgot to mention that it was originally from Tim.

Then again, it’s really not that original of an idea. I kind of came up with the using the term “auto-response” in my writing in reference to “just doing it.” But if someone else used it, I don’t think it would be necessary for them to give me credit.

And just for the record, I was not passing that off as my own idea. I’ve previously written about this where I did give Tim full credit for his awesome idea:

http://thegrowinglife.com/2008/03/the-opposite-of-happiness-is-boredom/

Alistair Says:

September 29th, 2008, 22:44 pm

Barry’s question about age got me thinking. I’m 47. And, I guess there is an element to which I agree that age and experience count, so I expect to get better quality advice from someone older. I didn’t say more experienced, as well as older, because you don’t know how experienced they are. After all, they may have changed professions 5 years ago and be a relative newbie at what they’re doing now. So, there is an assumption we tend to make
in these things.

I agree with the point on passion in what you do, though it isn’t always passion that gets you to the same point. Variety, challenge (often brought about by a passion for what you do) and a good work environment, and a
good attitude on your part, build you up, and build your skills. 15 years of that is likely heaps better than 30 years of routine mundanity that you’ve let bore you and wear you down. The thing is, the 15 year person
and the 30 year person could be the same person at different times in their lives. From my own experience, interest and enagement in my job have varied somewhat over the last 20 years, and I think I can say that
I’m regaining the ’skill level’ now that I had 10 years ago, simply because of a loss of the ‘passion’ when I got outsourced, and having regained it somewhat now, after having being inspired on the subject of quality while reading ‘Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance’.

Lastly, as I realise this is becoming long, I’ve found zen habits to be a good first point of contact for checking in on this sort of blogging. I don’t just check out zen habits though - I do check out the links and guest bloggers,
but I’m finding that this blog attracts an interesting variety of articles and comments, so I’m checking it several times a week to see what is new. Plenty of other interesting bloggers & sites end up ‘coming here’, so I don’t have to go trawling the net for them.
And, that means I can absorb some amount of what is presented, learn, and do. Otherwise there’d be too much.

So thanks to the Leo for zen habits, for guests like Jonathan, and to the rest of you for the discussions and commentary.

Sri Says:

September 30th, 2008, 3:39 am

Hi Leo!
I am regular reader of your Blog and i found your posts very refreshing from other Self-improvement Philosophies, Websites and Blogs. But, These days there are too many ‘do this and that’ stuff that is quite Paradoxical to Zen.
I just finished reading Creativity - Unleashing The Forces Within by Osho and he says “A Philosopher is quite far away from Zen/Source/God because he thinks a lot”.
Don’t you think your Blog is getting bloated?
Please read the Book by Osho, Leo. And i recomend it to your readers as well. It’s about being Simple, Being with the Source, Allowing the source to do your Job even if you are doing a menial job like cleaning the streets.
Do we need to many Getting Things done stuff in our lives? After all they are disposable by Time.
After reading many self-improvement books and Blogs, i discovered All i need in Life is a few books

1. Power of Now or Practising the Power of Now
2. Stillness Speaks (great for Meditative reading). I use it while i commute to Work.
3. Creativity - Unleashing the Forces within By Osho
4. Kelly Howell’s Brain Sync audio therapies (Faith, Positive thinking, Deep Meditation) to drift into Sleep.
Leo, It’s time your blog should graduate from Zen Habits to Mastering Zen Habits.
You can pick a few essential habits and Master it by applying them in your life situations and sharing your experiences with us. With a great reader community, which you have, it’d be an enlightening Experience for sure!
Peace,
Sri.

Miss Gisele B| myBeautyMatch.com Says:

September 30th, 2008, 5:00 am

Wonderful post. I’m tired of my daily monotonous schedule. I was thinking of re-scheduling my daily activity and pondering of giving more time to my passion.

Pete Says:

September 30th, 2008, 7:50 am

Any post that has in the title the word ‘awesomeness’ is cool in my book. Big fan of #3….if you can’t enjoy the simple things, what can you enjoy?

http://yinvsyang.com/

Usman Says:

September 30th, 2008, 7:56 am

I think - the very first point is the most important one. People think the more complex, the more interesting and better. UNTRUE!!!

Brad Says:

September 30th, 2008, 8:58 am

Great post Jon! It is always a good idea to be thankful for what we have. Instead we always find that we want more. Thanks again for the great article =)

Liora Hess Says:

September 30th, 2008, 9:54 am

Sri, I appreciate your suggestions of books. I’ve made a note of these titles. I’ve been wanting to read Osho for a while, and a couple of these other ones I hadn’t heard of. p.s. I wish you had an email address/web site address linked to your name when you post. I wanted to write you personally. Thanks. :)

Doug Heacock Says:

September 30th, 2008, 10:21 am

#1, #6, #10, #11–excellent points. Especially #10 (”Be grateful”). Someone once referred to the species, homo sapiens, as “the ungrateful bipeds.” Most of those of us who use computers and read (and write) blogs each day would be regarded as rich by most of the people in the rest of the world, yet we somehow, many of us feel we’re entitled to much, much more than we already have. Taking some time to assess just how blessed you really are is good.

freckled diva Says:

September 30th, 2008, 10:22 am

This post certainly came at a great time for me! The last few months have been full of change for me and my husband. I started grad school in a new state, he is on tour with a band, and everything is new and different. I love change, but sometimes it’s hard to know where I “fit” when everything is new. Great reminders this morning as I enjoy my coffee - and I am really and truly enjoying it.

Mary@GoodlifeZen Says:

September 30th, 2008, 12:48 pm

Lovely post, Jonathan! I look forward to your articles, wherever they pop up :-)

I particularly like your suggestion #5: Make time for what you love

It’s very easy to push what we love to that back of our agenda - with a promise ‘to do it one of these days’. I think that if we truly want to find joy in love, we need to move what we love to the top of our agenda.

Then we’ll love more, and be enchanted by life’s offerings.

Of course, we also have to do what we don’t love so much. Maybe the secret is to learn to love everything we do!

B. Wilde Says:

September 30th, 2008, 13:23 pm

I certainly picked up a few pointers from this post. Your “inner geek” recommendation made me remember not only to lose myself in what I love, but to have fun along the way. We just don’t laugh enough. In fact, I’m not sure if there is such a thing as laughing too much.

In my life one other thing that helps with boredom is to focus on somebody else. This is gets me out of my hum-drum frame of mind and helps me see life from someone elses point of view. Plus, there’s something about helping others that puts energy back into life for me.

I love how your writing inspires and grounds me back to what’s important. Keep on with your goal to quit your job. This is where you belong.

Geld Guru Says:

September 30th, 2008, 15:52 pm

really great post. and so perfect. Thank you.
You have to life life in the present moment. Than it’s good
greets

Sri Says:

September 30th, 2008, 18:27 pm

@ Liora, I don’t have blog but you can reach me at srikanth[underscore]ranga[at]yahoo[dot]com
I am glad you want to read Osho. The Book definitely has energy to connect with its reader at a deeper level.
Peace!
Sri.

Jonathan Mead Says:

September 30th, 2008, 18:40 pm

@ B. Wilde: Thank you so much man. I really appreciate that comment. I’m working hard on it, trust me! =)

Pushpinder Says:

September 30th, 2008, 19:35 pm

lolz… while I was reading I was spell bound and thinking for nothing except on what was in the article and when I finished I thought that some Indian Saint had written this … lolz… transalted from his Sanskrit or other lingo to English … but its was worth a read … much worth it…

I liked the 7th point though…

Leo Says:

September 30th, 2008, 22:13 pm

@Sri: You make some great points. If you tried to follow every single tip on Zen Habits (or any other blog), you’d be overwhelmed. That’s not simple at all, and I definitely don’t recommend it.

My recommendation is to read just the posts that are of greatest relevance to you, and file them away for later reference, in case you should decide to tackle that particular goal or habit.

Then, focus on one habit at a time. You don’t need to tackle all of these things at once, but you can eventually get to them if you like, or not at all. It’s all up to you.

The main thing I’d like people to take away from this blog is pretty simple, actually: focus on the essential. What are the essentials for you? Figure that out and you’ve gone a long way. By “focus”, I mean learning to strip away distractions and concentrate on one thing at a time.

If you can learn to focus, and learn to choose the essentials, you’ve gotten everything out of Zen Habits you really need. :) Everything else is just details.

Sri Says:

October 1st, 2008, 4:05 am

Hi Leo!
These days being a victim of Information overload is common and i just thought there could be a better way to address the issue than leaving it to the discerning senses of the seeker.
Have you thought about starting Zen Habits Workshop in your area? Have a common agenda for the weekend like you have a pool of Zen habits to choose and practice.
I thought you could be the One to take it to next level.
Peace,
Sri.

Adrilia Says:

October 1st, 2008, 13:02 pm

Great article, Jonathan. We all deal with this issue from time to time. I find that asking the right questions can be very helpful when we find ourselves in this “place”. Sometimes what we call “boredom” is a way for our life to get us to stop and listen differently or more carefully. I recently wrote a “3 powerful questions” article sharing some motivation questions I have asked myself to get past this hiatus state and rev v-up momentum. http://www.adriliavpedersen.com/3-powerful-motivation-question

Tabitha Says:

October 1st, 2008, 18:05 pm

I love all of these ideas, now I just have to decide which to try first. :)

Tabitha @ http://www.fromsingletomarried.com

Andrea Alarcon Says:

October 3rd, 2008, 8:48 am

This is a fantastic post and it actually changed my day. I managed to get a couple of things done from your list and even wrote about it on my blog. Thanks :)

Simple Mindz Says:

October 3rd, 2008, 18:46 pm

I tend to do number five a lot.It just seems, on some occasions that I don’t always do what I love doing, just what I have to do, ya know?

Amelia Burton Says:

October 4th, 2008, 8:13 am

How about setting yourself a “BHAD”.

What’s that? It’s a BIG, HAIRY, AUDACIOUS GOAL.

If you’re a runner, how about training for a marathon? If you want financial freedom, how about buying your own business?

And then once you set your goal, JFDI! (you’ll have to google that one!)

Amelia.

Suzanne Says:

October 5th, 2008, 10:28 am

Your article spoke to me. I’m pretty busy at the moment and your article helped me to step back and be present. I’m simplifying, being grateful, and making time for what I love.

#2 reminds me of Eckhart Tolle’s book “A New Earth” and the concept of staying in the now - not being caught up in what your mind is doing i.e. “labeling” - thanks for the reminder!

Suzanne

Candace Says:

October 8th, 2008, 16:35 pm

Finding inner peace and going to that space where all you have is this moment. Look outside at the trees or flowers. Nature has a way of bringing us to that inner space. Also, even a petting your cat or dog.

Art Says:

October 13th, 2008, 13:30 pm

A teacher said this to my son last year:

“when you say you are bored, what I hear is you are ‘lazy.’”

I thought that was a perfect little thought for our restless youth. There’s ALWAYS something you could be doing to occupy your mind.

CrownAmbassador Says:

October 31st, 2008, 6:13 am

Hi,

Great post as always. Will it be posible for you to explain the “stop labeling” part in more details. I don’t know if I’m being blond, but I don’t really get that.

Thanks!

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