Ennui, an emotion that no one talks about
Know when boredom sparks creativity and when does it lead to emptiness, how prone are you to boredom - take a quiz, and my secret to getting migraine free.
My 12-year-old wanted to watch Inside Out 2, 🎬 so we all went as a family. It’s a kiddy movie by Disney so one would think...how much can grownups enjoy? Surprisingly, my husband and I loved it just as much! It explores nine different emotions inside the mind of a young girl. Each emotion is a unique character.
For me, the standout character/emotion was Ennui. She's portrayed as a bored and lethargic teenager—always on her phone, sulking on the couch with her bangs covering her eyes, 👩🎤 a total introvert with a perpetual eye roll. 🙄 She embodies the “Whatever, I don’t care” attitude toward life.
I hadn’t encountered this extreme boredom emotion before. I became fascinated and started digging deeper. Turns out, there’s a lot more to ennui than just boredom. That’s what we’re exploring today. In this week’s Mind Boosters, take a quiz to see how prone you are to boredom and know my secret to get rid of migraine headaches. Enjoy the read.
We've all felt bored at some point—whether it’s with a book, a movie, or a tedious report. Sometimes we quit midway, realizing it's not worth our time. Other times, we push through, relieved when it’s over.
But imagine feeling that boredom in everything you do. Not just with one project or chore, but a constant, pervasive sense of disinterest. That’s ennui. People who experience ennui feel perpetually detached and disinterested.
While it’s not clinical depression, if left unaddressed, it can lead to serious conditions like depression and anxiety, impacting your relationships and emotional well-being.
The word ennui (pronounced “on-wee”) comes from French, meaning boredom. But it’s much more than needing a break from a task. It’s a deep, chronic sense of boredom.
We’ll explore ennui, why it happens, and how to tackle it before it becomes a bigger issue. It’s important to note that not all type of boredom is bad.
Don't panic if your kid says, "I'm bored." It can lead to creativity and problem-solving. Let's explore how that works! ⬇️
Boredom can spark creativity
Boredom isn't just a negative feeling; it can be a powerful catalyst for creativity. When we're bored, our minds start to wander, and this mind-wandering is crucial for creative thinking. It's during these moments that our brains connect ideas in new and unexpected ways.
Manoush Zomorodi, in her TED Talk, explains how mundane tasks like folding laundry or walking can spark brilliant ideas. Boredom gives our brains a break from constant stimulation, allowing us to process and generate creative solutions.
Trouble starts when we continuously face boring tasks day after day, year after year.
Why and how ennui starts
A fascinating study explored ennui by interviewing six participants who felt persistently bored with their lives. The findings revealed that ennui doesn't develop overnight. Instead, it gradually takes root when individuals compromise on their life projects for less fulfilling tasks. These compromises lead to internal conflict—sometimes anger at oneself, sometimes at others involved in these decisions.
Suppressing these emotions eventually causes boredom to spill into other areas of life. For example, if the original boring project was work-related, the ennui could spread to personal and social lives. This pervasive boredom can lead to identity issues, as individuals no longer engage in meaningful projects, resulting in feelings of emptiness and apathy.
How to break out of ennui
Breaking out of ennui requires breaking out of the monotonous routine that fuels it. Here’s how:
Change your routine: Spend a day doing something entirely different from your usual schedule. This change can shift your perspective and spark new thoughts.
Reflect on your desires: With a fresh perspective, consider what you truly want to do, not just what you have to do. Journaling can help clarify these thoughts. Try using a template specifically designed for when you’re feeling bored.
Explore and experiment: Don’t expect immediate answers. Try new activities and see what resonates. Engage with people who are doing things you find interesting. Whether you can talk to them directly or just learn from their experiences, it can be enlightening.
Interact with others: Sometimes, just having a conversation can help alleviate ennui. Connect with new people or deepen your relationships with those you already know.
Work on personal projects: Engaging in projects you’re passionate about is a great way to combat and prevent ennui. It’s more than a hobby; it’s a way to inject meaning into your life.
Reframe boring tasks: Research shows that we find tasks boring when they lack meaning. Reframing them can help. For example, if you find organizing files tedious, think of it as creating a more efficient workspace that will save you time in the future.
Alternate tasks: Mix boring tasks with more meaningful ones. This balance can make the less interesting tasks feel less burdensome.
Mind Boosters
🥱 🧐 Boredom Proneness Test
Take this 2-min quiz to find out how prone you are to boredom.
🤫 🍬 My secret to becoming migraine-free
It’s been more than two years since I stopped having any form of added sugar. I started it off as an experiment to see if it would help with my migraine. Here’s the article I wrote about it. ⬇️
💭 🤔 Quote for thought
"Boredom is a feeling that tells you you're in the wrong place.
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
So, if boredom is your mind's way of signaling that you're in the wrong place, it’s time to listen, explore, and make meaningful changes.
Love the Ralph Waldo Emerson quote and the topic of this emotion! I agree that changing your routine can be a very powerful tool against ennui. Earlier this year I was feeling a bit uninspired with my writing and the lack of progress in my writing career, but I made some daily life changes and have recently made a significant shift in my career direction. This has renewed my inspiration and re-instilled my creative purpose.