Joy Journal Vol. 5
In a world with no pause button, are you allowing yourself to be bored?
I came across this poem "A case for boredom" by Billy Jack Brawner and hit me hard this holiday season. It helped me question whether I am leaving space and time for “nothing-ness”. Jam packed schedules, shuffling from one event to the next, and often falling into a lump of exhaustion in front of the TV binge watching “Emily in Paris”. 🤦🏻♀️ All to just wake up and do it all over again. Can you relate First name / my friend ? It's not a sustainable way to operate and leaves me feeling joy-less rather than joy-FULL. I am sharing his poem here with you today in an effort to give you permission to find joy in the boredom, find ideas, possibilities, and just catch your breath….
Some say it's a feat to achieve boredom in a world like this one. And yet, it still comes--in moments we do and don't expect.
So, in the event that a moment turns dull or a wall is hit or the to-do list feels monotonous or a certain kind of disinterest or fatigue or apathy seeps into the same ol' everyday routine:
What if, instead of rushing to fill the empty space, instead of looking to change the tides, instead of pushing the feeling away…
What if the response to boredom is to just sit in it, to let ourselves settle into the discomfort of being still, and to see what rises to the surface of our (finally) unoccupied minds.
What if a moment turned dull is actually a wide-open space--room enough to ponder and to daydream and to consider what in the world is worth filling our minds with.
What if our boredom contains within a certain kind of spark just waiting to be ignited, an awakening that disrupts the monotony and leads us toward endless possibilities.
What if hitting a wall is really just a timely reminder that we are worth more than what we do, that our inherent value remains even if we produce…nothing.
And what if boredom, when we embrace it and allow it to lead us into a place of being still, is really just a chance to slow down, a chance to take a deep breath, and a chance to bring about much-needed clarity in a world that moves so very fast.
I am personally sending you deep breaths and moments of stillness during this hustle and bustle season. I hope you find joy in the boredom and focus on self-discovery over productivity!
- Art Centric Community Events Hands down one of my favorite events in our community is Art After Dark at the Bakersfield Museum of Art! The gals of Three Door Studios attended the Surrealist Masquerade with our custom masks to match our personalities and art styles. We enjoyed music, bites & sips, & the BMOA's amazing exhibition featuring oil painter Jacqueline Valenzuela. I could sit in the gallery and explore her art for hours, it's intense and beautiful and so incredibly inspiring! We had a blast! Highly recommend you checking out their 2025 Art After Dark events!
- Emotional Resiliency in Action Full circle moment for me last week at the New Teacher Development Department at Kern County Superintendent of Schools! I facilitated a workshop called “Cultivating Emotional Resiliency in Educators” focused on utilizing play and creative expression. It was all the tools I needed back when I was a young, bright-eyed teacher experiencing burnout. This workshop brought me so much joy! Excited to continue into 2025 with this team of superheroes who support our brave teachers here in Bakersfield. Interested in welcoming The Playful Space to your next team building event? Fill out our Permission to Play for Teams Interest Form!
- Looking Back at Being Brave I was browsing through some old photos and found a photo of me strutting my upcycled outfit at Revive the Runway at Junkatique! This experience took a lot of confidence and bravery (I am still learning to sew from my studiomate Amanda!) and believe it or not walking a runway was scary and intimidating! Proud of myself for trying and hopefully this photo serves as inspiration for YOU to get out there and try something new! Save the date for 2025 Revive the Runway on February 8th! Don't miss it! I will be in the crowd this year, cheering on all the amazing sewists!
Find Joy in Boredom,
Emily
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