25 Things To Do When You Are Bored at Home as a Highly Sensitive Person

I didn't realize it at the time.

But I was making myself bored. 

As a Highly Sensitive Person who took JOMO (the Joy of Missing Out) to a new level, my life had become very small. 

Somewhere along the line, I’d stopped taking the initiative and being the captain of my own life. 

I rarely sought out new friendships. I’d accept invitations but rarely extend them. I’d tag along to an exercise class when invited but rarely head out to one on my own.

Taking the initiative made my heart pound, the blood rush into my ears and my underarms sweat. Avoidance was my self preservation. 

But that all started to change when I decided to train for a half marathon to show myself I could do anything I put my mind to. One act shifted my identity. I felt stronger and tapped into a persistence and resilience I didn’t know I had.

Taking the initiative with one thing started a ripple effect of forward momentum in my life. 

And it can do the same for you. 

If your life is stagnating, here are 25 ideas for breaking out of boredom and steering your life out of a rut. 

It just takes one thing to get the wheels turning. 

1.Take a free online class through MOOC.org. A MOOC is a Massive Open Online Course offered by top colleges and universities. They’ve got 2,900+ to choose from. Take a free virtual Journalism, Nutrition, Art or Language class. 

2. Sample different free online workouts. Try yoga, HIIT and strength classes and see which you like best. 

3. Set financial goals. Learn how to save more, manage your money or to invest.

4. Do a breakfast experiment. Eat something different for breakfast for 5 days and see which option gives you the best focus and concentration.

5. Reach out to someone who’s doing your dream job. Ask them about their training and the best and worst parts of the job. 

6. Sample new podcasts. Choose ones that make you think differently about happiness, the world or spirituality.

7. Change your morning routine. Wake up earlier and dress up if you always dress down. 

8. Give writing a shot. Take a journal entry and use it as inspiration to write a post for Medium.com. Post it and see what happens. 

9. Try a new ball sport. Dribble a soccer ball. Shoot hoops. Learn to juggle. 

10. Get back in touch. Take your social media scrolling to the next level and DM an old friend to rekindle the connection.

11. Thank a mentor. Get on LinkedIn and send an email to a favorite former boss to thank them for their mentorship. 

12. Get in the kitchen. Cook a complicated recipe you’ve always wanted to try. And eat it. 

13. Memorize a favorite poem. Post it on your refrigerator. 

14. Brush up on your trivia. Finally memorize the times tables that always trip you up or the states and their capitals.

15. Create. Sing, paint, sew, knit, crochet, or draw.

16. Paparazzi your pets. Learn to use your iPhone to take artistic pictures of your pet. 

17. Tackle a new home decor project. Repaint or reupholster an old piece of furniture. 

18. Nurture a green thumb. Plant a flower garden and learn flower arranging.

19. Say OM. Try meditating using a free meditation app. 

20. Connect with a Higher Power. Attend a virtual service at a church that you’ve always been curious about. 

21. Nosh on new ideas. Binge on TED Talks.

22. Bring nature inside. Place a plant and rocks in your shower or bathtub to create a natural terrarium in your house. 

23. Change where you wake up. Sleep in a different room of your house for just one night.  

24. Dig it out. Rediscover the bottom of your bedroom closet. 

25. Bake. And decorate an elaborate cake. 

Why you’re really bored

Boredom is a sign you’re ready to grow.  

The key to breaking out of a rut is to do something that helps you see yourself and the world in a new light.

Getting exposed to new ideas, changing your identity and concept of yourself or experiencing life through a new lens shifts everything. 

Choose one thing from the list and start now. 

There’s a whole new world waiting for you to explore.