a sigh of relief

there is something horribly uncomfortable about being bored. it is not quite the lack of things to do, but the things i do do while i am bored. the mindless hours of tv, internet, and phone, the sleeping, the napping, the snacking. that isn't the worst of it. the worst is when you are left with nothing but your own thoughts. i'm not saying the thoughts themselves are terrible, but the fact that you have nothing but your own thoughts is. why, you ask? well, there is no one to give you feedback, i suppose, no one to bounce ideas off of or to challenge your thinking. i have nothing against self-reflection, don't get me wrong, i think it's a very beneficial exercise that everyone should engage in at least once a year. but how beneficial can that self-reflection be unless you truly take a critical eye to yourself, and how much easier would it be for those closest to you to point out to you what they see? you may not agree with what others say, but they must have a reason for perceiving you the way they do. whether or not their perception is correct is irrelevant, the only matter is that such a perception exists and what you will do to change it.