Enlivening life when it’s really (really) boring…
Where to go with this? Will it be insufferably boring? Let’s give it a go…
Having recently moved from my long-time home, I’ve been trying to behave as the responsible adult I appear to be, committing to the very BORING process of changing addresses (ad nauseum.) OMG, my physical body literally rebels against performing boring, non-creative, repetitive tasks. In response to these repetitive tasks, my body sends me distinctly unhappy physical messages: shoulders seizing up; teeth grinding….Don’t want to dive more deeply into victim mode, but I HATE repetitive boring actions. Get the point?
Back to fulfilling this responsible adult role of changing my address after 20 years. How do I carry out a repetitive task I find soooo deadening??
Ta dah! Be nice!
Huh? Is this a non-sequitur? How the heck is being nice connected to enlivening this particular dreaded task?
So glad you asked!
In quite a few instances, I’ve found it easier to make the (boring) address changes over the phone, avoiding the step-by-step morass of being online (only to watch changes disappear because I clicked the wrong link. You been there?)
So here I am, on the phone, talking to a nice, chirpy, human being (coffee? play-acting?) who wants ONLY 😉 to help me with this address change. I love it! An opportunity to hear different accents, possible tiredness in a voice, and make very brief, but oh-so friendly and supportive chit-chat with folks who, likely, are just as bored as I am with their respective repetitive tasks.
Aha!
“Just connect” as the late English novelist, E.M. Forster wrote, “just connect.” Huh? Pretty straightforward. How do two people, the customer rep and I, find aliveness in the vastness of boredom? Connect through humor, kindness, being downright nice, whatever….and suddenly, we’re human-to-human rather than customer and customer rep.
OK, yes, I love doing this! Years of conscious practice underscored by valuing, as best I can, compassion for the “other” has helped to hone drawing people out, and having a quirky sense of humor hasn’t hurt, either. Of course, each of us possesses unique gifts for connecting with others. Dive deep and explore.
In my few moments on the phone, the customer rep is acknowledged and sprinkled (big-time) with what I characterize as my pixie dust treatment - sparkling thanks for their oh-so helpful task-ministering (just made that term up and love it!) Suddenly, I’m no longer bored to tears with the repetitive process of address changing. I now feel alive. Well, actually, I hope the customer rep and I both feel more alive. A two-fer…
Is this a win-win situation, or what? Don’t you love it when a trying situation leads to more (de) light in our own lives AND in the lives of others?
❤️Please consider sharing with others. Who couldn’t use more heart and humor?