Listen to Nothing So You can Think of Something
Today I dropped my son at his school. The road in front of the school that leads to the highway is about 2KM, and it takes about 30 minutes to drive through it. I usually listen to podcast on world history. Somehow, I decided to switch off Spotify and listen to the silence. Initially the silence was deafening. My mind was all over the place, I was thinking about my schedule, my work, exercises, blog topics etc. As if someone was using a remote control who keep changing channels in my mind. I was fighting the urge to switch on Spotify again.
Eventually those thoughts slowly died down, and new ideas and solutions sprouting in my mind. I was able to hold on to those thoughts longer. This experience is similar to my earlier experience of running without listening to my headphones.
When I was growing up, I used to get bored as there were little things to stimulate to my mind. Now with the handphone and internet, I hardly have the chance to get bored. However, I do not give my mind a chance to rest and process what I have feed it. By giving some space to my mind to run free, it has given me new insights about myself and life.
Do not be afraid of feeling bored. In fact, it is important to feel bored because this allows your mind to rest and process all the things that you have been digesting. Cut off the stimulants and let your mind reveal itself.