Im not boring.

by

The pink gloves phase was interesting.

The pink gloves phase was definitely not boring.

 

The other day I stumbled upon an article which resonated with me.

I usually avoid “list articles” as the voices Im drawn to dont typically lend themselves to 8 Ways to Drink More Water Than You Ever Dreamed Possible or 5 Tips for Creating the Life You Want in 7 Seconds.

This article, however, had me nodding in agreement as it listed ways/tips to be more interesting.

First, it reminded me of a story (yes. apologies but that IS your cue to have a seat & relax.  Im going to yammer.).

Many years ago, in a hot, dry and sunny land my marriage was going through a rough patch.

We looked a lot like this.

We looked a lot like this.

Nothing major but a perceived vibe on my end the husband found me boring.

I interpreted his verbal/non-verbal responses as those of: Yeah I know. Ive heard it and seen it all before…

I recall saying to him (in my perhaps misplaced yet ever-present it’s SO YOU and NOT ME way):

Youre responding to me as if Im boring.  Im many things–annoying, overly talkative etc—but I know Im not boring.

I remember this interaction because it was an ah ha! moment for me, too.

My self-confidence (misplaced or not) has never been faked for the facebook or blog—yet it was *in that instance* I realized I was interesting.

Sure I may also be irritating & exhausting (Im nothing if not self-aware) but Im not boring.

 

not dull.

not dull.

(it was, if you recall, a HERCULEAN TASK for me to become bored)

The article also sparked for me the realization the very notion of being interesting is inextricably tied with getting outside of ourselves.

With doing unto others.

With trying new things.

With sharing what you do/learn with others.

With being your authentic, weird, pointy backpack wearing, freak flag flying self.

Being interesting is the same as healthy living (OH SNAP! see? I managed to tie it back to what this blog is *supposed* to be about!):

It is all about the 80/20.

Being interesting is EIGHTY PERCENT focusing outside of yourself & TWENTY PERCENT sharing the humble brag in the same way healthy living is EIGHTY PERCENT abut living clean and TWENTY percent frolickingandfun.

Id never considered what it took to be interesting because from my vantage point we’re all interesting.

We all have stories, passions & unique freak-flags we fly—whether we do it publicly or not.

Actually—now that Ive sucked up 2 minutes & 35 seconds of your life youll never get back—being INTERESTING is as simple as living this Dr. Seuss quote:

Those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.

Now you.

  • What traits do YOU find makes someone interesting?

 

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Comments

  1. Well if there’s one person that isn’t boring, it’s definitely you! You are so not boring!

    That said, in my opinion there are two kinds of being boring. For me the way a person speaks or tells stories can be boring and it usually is. Or what a person does in his/her day to day life can look boring to others. I don’t mind that kind of boring because it’s who I am too. Sometimes I live a boring life and I don’t mind at all, I love my life the way it is and if that’s boring … so be it.

  5. People who do things well and can weave an interesting story interest me.

    You are definitely interesting….I know because I’ve been reading this blog since before the pink gloves. 🙂

  7. I love that article and feel like it is something I should share with my 16 year old students – who always say they had “boring” weekends!

  10. Loved this article – especially embracing my inner weirdness and growing a pair. As to the length of the article, I love that sometimes (often times) less is so much more. Thanks for sharing, Miz!

  12. I’m always interested in those who aren’t afraid to show and be who they are!

    Okay totally odd but I dreamed about you last night. We had coffee…in real life and we talked about life. The Tornado then brought me a Dr. Seuss book for which I tried making sense of. It was an interesting dream…definitely not boring 😉

    xo

  13. I haven’t seen this article yet – might go check it out.
    You are in no way boring!! I think the biggest draw for me over here is the fact that you are so dedicated to helping others – whether it is through your blog, things like the WalGreens deal or posting signs in your neighborhood – never boring always helping!!!

  14. What a great article.
    I’d missed it before, but agree with you completely.
    We all have stories and if we let ourselves be real we are all iuntersting.

  16. This is fascinating. I wrote a post several months ago about being vanilla, and being perfectly okay with that. I can’t wait to head over to read the article.

  17. i think if you are passionate, you are not boring. You my friend, are passionate about life. Living. Enjoying. I haven’t opened up the article yet, i just bookmarked it. But i have a feeling I will be mulling over it like MissZippy

  18. I liked the part where it said basically bragging isn’t interesting.
    If you need to tell me how interesting you are then you are not.

    • YES. YES. It’s like my tattoos. Some people mistakenly have assumed I have them to be in!your!face!—I dont.
      So much so I often wear long pants and many people have no idea they are there…
      no need to tell 🙂

  19. I feel that living in the moment makes you UN boring! I live by a tattoo on my left arm: Love yourself and be AWAKE today, tomorrow, always – Buddha. It reminds me to always be aware and live in the moment and never get sedentary or stuck so that I can live being AWAKE all of the time!

  20. I love that you always make me think about something in a new light. I guess I find people interesting when they are themselves. Not being fake, not making any pretenses. I sometimes am not sure I’m always “myself.”

    • I think about that a lot too and even more as I watch my daughter try on personas to find who she really is.
      Theres nothing more interesting or compelling than seeing someone who is JUST WHO THEY ARE.
      zero facades.

  21. Just read the article… I think what interests me most is that there are enough people wondering how to become interesting to warrant the article. 🙂 I also really like your 80/20 guideline.

  22. YES YES YES Laura! I did think: if we spent as long just GOING OUT AND DOING AND LIVING as we do pondering how to be interesting—we’d be interesting.
    and life for me is 80/20/
    always.
    from twitter to friendships.

  23. Yikes, I think I may need to read that article!

    I often feel in social situations like I’m terribly boring. Yet online I feel much more comfortably myself. You are a role model in terms of how NOT to be boring Miz, hmm… Maybe i need a small child or some pink gloves or just an new attitude?

    Great post!

  24. I read that the first time you posted & again now… I think I was LESS boring when I was younger & I think I have gotten more boring.. a result of closing in due to life things. I need to print out the article & paste to my mirror!

    I find there is something interesting in all people. Yes, some more than others but it is kinda individual to me.

    YOU ARE NOT BORING nor your family!

    Got to say I LOVE THE PICS in this post!

    Also has me thinking more than I was already thinking! 🙂

    Like Kierston, a coffee date would help! 😉

    FANTASTIC POST! I love where your posts are going lately!

  26. I am with Jody.
    It feels like you’ve shifted and I like it.

    Some fitness and more you.

  28. for me, it is a zest for life that makes people interesting. Jason came home last night and said “we are going with “X” at work…” which others had reservations (um, complaints!) about, and Jason’s outlook was seeing all of the positive. “what if it DOESN’T break?” kind of thing. He continually sees the good.

    In my opinion, Interesting people are doers. They are always busy, cannot fathom the concept of bored (even when relaxing). These people understand the true fun in life – that Being Of Service To Others is where it is at. That working hard can be fun, and that the possibilities are ENDLESS when choosing activities.

    Interesting people do not care what others think – about the superficial stuff, from what I am wearing right now, to the Big Stuff like sticking up for someone when they are being wronged.

    Innovative. McGyver. Hilarious. Journey. Thought-provoking (that’s you, Miz!). Someone with a full passport, even if they’ve never left the country (you do not have to have the resources to travel to be “well traveled” in life!).

  29. What makes a person interesting to me?
    The openness and willingness to try new things. Yep. That’s it.
    By my definition, you’re far from boring!

    (And I’m clicking away to read the Forbes article now…)

  30. I couldn’t help but to picture the Dos XX guy thorught this whole post. You know, the most interesting man alive!

    Interesting people, to me, are those that take risks, aren’t afraid to let their freak flags fly, and seek out new experiences.

  31. Great post. I can’t imagine anyone thinking you’re boring. 🙂

    I think as bloggers, we’re always trying to be “interesting” but jut by being who we are, in my mind..we are interesting.

  33. I’d missed that article! Very interesting 🙂 especially the piece about the bragging.

  35. At different crossroads of our life we feel like a loser or a boring person. Even feel the same thing in my life but it’s natural to think like this. I guess we have to deal with and whenever we are stuck in a situation, we have to make ourselves stronger.

  36. oh I love this post so much. Yes! We do all have stories to tell and I think that that’s one thing that has become so much more apparent (and important) to me over the last year. I constantly worry/think that I’m boring and not interesting enough or have something to contribute. It’s definitely an insecurity/fear that continues to rear its head.

    • I resemble that Christine! One of my fears on meeting fellow bloggers that seem so much more interesting than me.. My reason for my I AM ENOUGH post today & how I have to work on that!

  37. I whats surprised me most about this post are comments like yours christine and emails Ive received to the same end.
    I KNOW YOU.
    I know you are supremely interesting and it shocked me youd ever think otherwise even for a moment.
    so many people have emailed me saying, essentially, Im so dull and boring and I know this and it makes me sad.

    WE ARE ALL INTERESTING BY VIRTUE OF OUR LIFE EXPERIENCES….

  38. I WANT those pink gloves, I would rock them NIGHT & DAY… Even if I were in business meetings, those pink gloves would STAY ON! Ah ha ha! Even when they put me in a mental ward after I threw a fit when someone told me I had to take off my gloves, I would still ROCK EM! Ah ha ha, okay, maybe not?

    **I find EVERYONE to be interesting because we are ALL different. Someone who is into Bioengineering – Now I find them interesting because that is like jibberish to me! 😉

  40. Boring? YOU??? Not from my viewpoint! I think sometimes we all get bored with ourselves and need to shake things up to make life interesting again. And to remind ourselves that it is not ok to get too complacent in life and “bore” it away. Not to say we ARE boring…just some days feel that way. I think EVERYONE has something that makes them interesting, and I love speaking to people, getting to know them and finding out what makes them tic. This comment is getting long and boring so I’ll stop now. Hugs Carla! PS: I want the pink gloves!

  42. I try to be as interesting as possible for my husband, but he mostly just looks with blank stare on his face as if I’m batshit (could be?). Also tried (many times) to entice him with a sexy dance, but my sensual-allure factor is lacking. I need lessons.

  43. I haven’t read the article but I will now. I can be very introverted and selfish with my “me” time. However the one person that doesn’t apply to is my husband. So I am going to go read the article…and then I shall analyze myself more.

  45. I don’t like that word boring! I see it getting used to judge and hurt people. Some people are introverted and happy that way and really don’t need the outside world for much. They are too interested in their own thing. Nothing wrong with that. Obviously if you have family or a job that depends on you engaging people that is different and will need to figure out how to function in those environments.

  47. I think we all go through periods of boring. I know I do, I know my husband does, we just need to find something to re-ignite our passion, whether it be a job, a side project, something new to train for etc… I think when things become stagnant we become bored with ourselves.

    • Exactly! I realized after reading Carla’s blog entry (not the Forbes article, just got to that) that when I’m fretting about being a boring person, it’s probably because I’m bored! (Or feeling mildly depressed.) But it passes.

  48. I find opened minded people to be the most interesting, that would incude all children, many old people, and one or two human beings in-between those categories. The in-betweeners are hard to come by.

  50. I just read the title and went – DUH! You are not boring at all and even your child has fabulous personality in spades. It is because you are all about doing you and not acting differently for anyone love it – trying to channel a bit of that “I’m awesome” vibe too.

  52. I popped over and read that article – very interesting! Some might think I live a boring life but I think what’s boring is subjective. I happen to love my life and don’t find it boring.

    I think very few people are “really” boring – we all have different lifestyles and that makes us all interesting. We all have a story to tell.

  53. What a fun article! I like the one that says to embrace your inner weirdness. Yeah, I may appear normal to most people who meet me, and interact with me a couple times, \but then I get comfortable and act a little “weird,” at least according to husband. But he’s just as weird.
    I love trying new, crazy, fun, wild, things too.
    Sometimes I guess we all just need a little reminder to get out of our everyday routine, and be a little crazy 😉

  58. This article really touched me. It made me think about my life, and I’ve realized, that yes, there are things that need to be changed. Thank you for waking me up!

  59. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. And yes, I read the Forbes article you mentioned. Curiosity, discovery and sharing are a great point of beginning. The confidence to embrace personal oddity, giving, and caring bring out the same tolerance and respect from others. You just made my day.

  60. This: “Id never considered what it took to be interesting because from my vantage point we’re all interesting.” made me smile so hard. Everytime I meet someone new I immediately set to work trying to figure out what their story is. It’s this insatiable curiosity. I too believe everyone’s got a story and I want to hear it:) #kindredspirits

  61. There are times in our life that we get bored but does it mean we are boring? No, quite the contrary, this is perfectly normal and should be expected. The forbes articles gives some great insights on how to lead a more interesting life and I would agree with the advice given.

    One thing I know for sure is that even if you take all the advice from the article, there will still be some boring and uninteresting times in your life.

    Embrace this and realise that we all have times when we may seem boring but there will be other times when we seem really interesting, often not even realising.

  62. I think the way to not be boring is to find things you are PASSIONATE about and become an expert in it. Not a know-it-all, but someone who really knows their stuff. I can tell when someone really loves something with how passionate they are and it makes ME interested!

  64. Hello Carla,

    I read the Forbes article. Here is what I liked: If you don’t give a damn about anything, no one will give a damn about you!

    As you said: “Being interesting is tied to getting outside of ourselves” How true!

  65. I feel privileged when I read such wonderful discussions. It’s really exciting to assess yourself and overcome your trouble areas. I know nobody is perfect in this world and making yourself comfortable is quite difficult.

  66. I can definitely tell you that you aren’t boring…and I can tell that you write the way that you talk which I like. The Forbes article was really good…I especially like all of her drawings that she put with each of the steps. Really concrete actions to take instead of fluffy cotton candy touchy feely stuff.

  67. You are anything BUT boring and that is why your blog is so awesome! And also thanks for sharing that you went through a little rough patch. Some days I find myself in a rough patch with my marriage and life, and then every blogger I read makes their marriage sound idyllic always. (In my head anyway). And I start to lose perspective. Just nice to read that from someone who is obviously happily married for years that it can be rough!

  68. Thanks very much for offering your thoughts and experiences regarding how to not be a boring person.

    You mentioned that the Forbes article — for you — sparked the realization that the very notion of being interesting is inextricably tied with getting outside of ourselves.

    I believe it also has lots to do with getting over ourselves. What could be more boring than a person who thinks he/she is so interesting that they pounce on ways to point it out.

  69. I think interesting people are those you have to ask questions to – they almost have a secret life outside of work/family (boring stuff) and you have to pry it out of them. That’s what makes them interesting. Those that tell every little thing about their lives to mere strangers…well, that’s boring ’cause what’s there to get to know about them? Nothing.

  70. The Forbes article was great at calling out a lot of the things I’m NOT doing that I should be! “Give it a shot,” and “Hop off the bandwagon” are definitely areas I need to explore to become more interesting. Thanks for sharing this article!

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