There is certainly nothing wrong with wanting routine in your life and having control over your plans and goals. However, there is a thin line between being in control and taking everything so seriously that you become boring. People tend to associate with lively individuals who bring out the best in them – not with those they find boring, or with whom they barely have anything to talk about. If you are concerned about this issue, read these seven signs that you may be a boring person, and what can you do to change that:
1. You Are Happy When Your Friends Cancel Plans
Have you noticed that lately you started to feel happy when your friends cancel plans for dinner or for going out on Saturday night – when you used to enjoy spending quality time with those close to you? We all have our moments when we want to spend some time alone, watching TV and eating junk food – and that is perfectly normal. However, if you have started to spend more time alone than in the company of your friends, this may be a sign that you are becoming a boring person, and you should do something about it while you still can.
2. Routine Has Become a Major Part of Your Daily Life
Do you like to order the same food, visit the same places or go to the same bars and restaurants? Are you afraid of trying something new, and you would rather stick to the things you are already used to? Trying out new things (be it a trip to a foreign country or simply a nice new restaurant where you can take your significant other or your friends) is exciting, and can prevent monotony from taking over your life. If you would rather stay at home and order takeout on a regular basis, this is a sign that you are becoming boring.
3. You Never Travel
Many people agree that traveling is the essence of life, and that we should all try to visit as many countries and know as many different people and cultures as possible. Fun people are always up for something new, something that would make them shine in every possible way. A boring person, on the other hand, seldom does anything that falls outside of their standard routine, which typically involves mainly working and sleeping. Once you have built a life around this work-sleep schedule, it is difficult to change things. Difficult, but not impossible – the solution is simple, since all you need to do is make an effort to go out and enjoy life and all the beautiful things it has in store for you. Plan a last-minute trip to a place you have never been before!
4. When Friends Ask You What’s New in Your Life, You Tend to Say “Not Much”
If your friends ask you what you have been up to lately or what’s new, and you always reply with “not much” or the classic “same old, same old,” then you should know this is by far the most obvious sign that you are slowly becoming a boring person. To break out of this cycle, you don’t need to get into extreme sports or do something radically different – all you need to do is keep an open mind and do something you have never tried before, be it reading a new book, learning a foreign language or taking up a new hobby. Simply try something new that is worth sharing and discussing with your friends. In the end, even the smallest change in your life is better than no change at all.
5. You Suddenly Change Topics During a Conversation
This is another obvious sign that you are boring. Has it ever occurred to you during a perfectly normal conversation to suddenly switch from one topic to another, afraid that you might eventually reach a dead-end that is mutually embarrassing? If so, then that should certainly get you thinking. Relaxed, interesting and fun people simply let things flow; they never try to force anything, even in just a simple conversation.
6. You Are Too Serious
It is obviously important to know when to act serious and professional, since this can certainly help you get very far in life. But there are times when being overly serious is boring, and even annoying for some people. There is an old saying that says, “You should never trust people who do not laugh.” Always look for an opportunity to tell jokes and relax yourself – just let loose, especially when you are surrounded by close friends. It is very important to know when to have fun, and this is particularly important for those who tend to combine their personal life with their professional life, since they often forget that their job ends at the office, and they should never take their office-related problems home with them (let alone discussing work at the dinner table!).
7. You Tend to Complain About Everything
The ultimate sign that you have become a boring (and even annoying) person is complaining about everything – even the small things that you used to make fun of in the past. This is extremely tiresome for your friends and relatives, and it is important to remember that nobody needs to listen to your problems and complaints. Everybody has their own baggage to deal with; nobody has it easy. No one likes people who constantly complain and who always see the glass as ‘half empty,’ since this is often contagious, and people don’t want to ‘catch the complaining virus’ that will make them see life more negatively. The ‘constant complainer’ is a venomous type of personality that’s not only boring, but that will also chase your friends away if you don’t do something about it.
If you can identify with one or more of the signs described here, then you are likely to be a boring person in the eyes of your friends or colleagues. Once you acknowledge this, you have already taken the first step toward becoming more entertaining and nicer to have around!
(via Lifespan)
