Embracing Boredom: "When Are You Complacent Vs. Content?"

In a world where we're constantly chasing the next  dopamine hit, what if boredom isn't something to avoid, but something to embrace?

This week, we're unpacking the value of slowing down and honoring the ordinary. We talk about why not every day has to be exciting to be meaningful, how our brains have become conditioned to crave constant stimulation, and why giving yourself space to be "bored" can actually create room for emotional processing, creativity, self-reflection, and peace.

But we also explore the other side of the conversation: What's the difference between boredom, contentment, complacency, and unfulfillment? When is boredom a sign that you're finally slowing down enough to enjoy your life, and when is it your inner voice telling you something needs to change?

It's a thoughtful conversation about finding balance in a culture obsessed with being busy, staying entertained, and constantly chasing the next thing. If you've ever wondered whether your quiet season is exactly where you're meant to be, or whether it's time for something new...this episode is for you!

Sip of the Week: Pocono Maple Water Americano 

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hey, I'm Noelle. And I'm Marissa, but Noelle calls me Pete. And welcome back to Take It Home. Or maybe welcome for the first time. Shall we just get into our sippy of the wiki? Sipy of the weakie. Ssippy of the weakie. Here we have a very special Poconot maple water Americano.

SPEAKER_01 0:30

Some of you may or may not know that a couple weeks ago we drank coconut maple water for our sippy of the weekie.

SPEAKER_00 0:38

Something I do sometimes instead of doing like a latte with milk, I'll do like coconut water. As you know, with the espresso. Sometimes it's a lot lighter for summer too. Like if you're looking for something more refreshing, but you still want your caffeine. So I was like, why not try it with the maple water? And it's good. We did add some creamer as well, because I do like like a little sweetness in my coffee.

SPEAKER_01 1:01

But Poconot Maple Water sent us a discount code for you, the listeners and viewers, to use. And this discount code gives you 50% off. Half off, you guys. That's an insanely good deal. Uh the discount code is just Take it home. Like our pod.

SPEAKER_00 1:22

Yes. So use that code on their website. You'll get 50% off your order, which is amazing, and you should definitely try it. And I'm needing some extra caffeine today. It's been like a gloomy couple of days. Yesterday it was kind of cloudy and gloomy. Today it's rainy. It's been like thunderstorming on and off, which I love. So I do love it, especially because I've had a couple days off, so I'm just like at home doing some chores and some things, and that's like the best time for rain. But it is making me feel a little like very sleepy! Smile of the week, smile, smile of the week. Smile of the week, smile, smile of the week. My smile is that, well, in general, I've had four days off, which is great, fourth of July weekend. But more specifically, on Friday, a couple days ago, Noelle and I had just such a lovely day. Like the most ideal day. I actually gave myself a day to like not do anything work-related or like just nothing. I just wanted to rest and have fun. And I really allowed myself to do that on Friday. First of all, we woke up early to watch Love Island. In the morning. In the morning, because we couldn't watch it the night before. So we were like, should we wake up early and watch it like in the morning? And that's what we did. We woke up earlier than we needed to. Very cute. We made breakfast. We made scrambled eggs, toast, smoked salmon, and we sliced up some pears, made some coffee, we watched Love Island in the morning. And then I went to get my hair cut, which I love doing. I love getting my hair cut. It's like relaxing, and I love having cut hair because it's like fresh and new, and I always feel my best after. And then we had a beach day, which is so weird. I've never gotten my hair done and then gone to the beach. I wouldn't typically do that, but that's just the way it had to be that day. And we went to Rockaway and it was like a really, really hot day. We had a heat wave, but it was about 15 degrees cooler near the water. So like it was kind of perfect beach weather. It was very, very hot, but it was still nice. Noelle and I like the heat. Yeah, we just had a beach day. We got sandwiches and chips and watermelon and laid on the beach. And then something crazy happened. We were being very cautious about going into the water because the day before I saw all over like these news articles all over social media that there were like multiple shark sightings off the coast of uh on Rockaway Beach. And I was like, oh my gosh, I was sending them to Noel. I was like, this is crazy. We're supposed to go tomorrow. The day before, so that this was Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 2:30, there were four different sightings of sharks, and each of those sightings had multiple sharks, so there were like groups of sharks together off the coast, and they have like drones flying around to like look out for that. And they kept making people get in and out of the water. So I was like, okay, well, I don't think I will be swimming on Friday. But it was so hot, we were like, we're definitely gonna put our feet in, and we also had to pee low-key, so we gotta pee in the ocean. So we're in, like, you know, maybe knee deep lifeguards, the people patrolling the beach, start telling people to get out of the water because there is a shark, which is scary as hell. But I was like, this is actually kind of cool. Like, I've never been in the water when there was a shark nearby. So Noelle and I are like standing right by the shore for like ever, just trying to like see the shark. We wanted to see the fin, but we never saw it. The thing that's crazy though is these people were like telling people to get out of the water. There's a shark, there's a shark. And there are still people like far out swimming, not listening. I'm like, that's crazy. Right? And the sharks that were spotted the day before were bull sharks, which apparently are extra aggressive towards humans.

SPEAKER_01 5:50

I will say I love swimming, and I will swim in murky, darker water like that, but it does get me a little more anxious than swimming in clear blue water.

SPEAKER_00 6:01

Yeah, and the waves were kind of, you know, it wasn't calm water, so like you just you never know. So I just I thought that was cool though. I was like, there's sharks, like a shark. Noelle and I were acting like there was a celebrity sighting.

SPEAKER_01 6:14

No, literally. Like they were like, they were like, there's a shark in the water, and Pete and I like start going towards the beach. We're like, oh my god, we have to go see this shark. Like, I was like, I want to see its fins.

SPEAKER_00 6:26

Yes, it's fin. We're always we're very fascinated by wild, wildlife, the two of us. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 6:33

One thing about us.

SPEAKER_00 6:34

Yes, I'm particularly fascinated in like dangerous wildlife. Like, I was so enamored by the idea of bears on our road trip and just I don't know, things that like are risky. Obviously, I don't want to see them in a situation where it could be dangerous or harmful, but like from a distance, see I wanted to see.

SPEAKER_01 6:55

My toxic treat is that okay, I want to be, I'm gonna say this and then like knock on what it doesn't, I don't speak it into existence. Like, I want to be in an almost life-threatening essentially. Like, I want a bear to be like running, but then I make it just in time. Oh, okay. Like, I don't want to get hurt, but I want but you want to like you want to be chased by a scary predator. Well, I like don't, I guess. I keep saying things that I don't mean. But like okay, I want to see a bear like run at me while I'm sitting in a car or like somewhere where it can't actually get me. They can get you in cars. I know well, I know they can open car doors. They can. But if the car door was locked, and if I could drive away really fast.

SPEAKER_00 7:49

I just like seeing animals in action, you guys. I mean, I would like to see it from a distance. Yeah, like in a place where I I know I would be safe, but I don't want it running towards me or charging at me, I will say. That's fair. Can't relate to that part, but yeah. That's my smile. Our beach day, and then we were it was sandwiched because then we went home and watched Love Island again, and it started thunderstorming right after we got home. It was like so amazing.

SPEAKER_01 8:16

We got two Love Island episodes, beach day, and I got a haircut.

SPEAKER_00 8:21

It was just a great day.

SPEAKER_01 8:23

It was a very good one. What did we eat for dinner?

SPEAKER_00 8:24

Or did we eat separate? We both had leftover pasta, or I had my leftover pasta that I made the day before. And I had my leftover pasta. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Um, so it was a good day, and then also just like knowing that I had three more days off ahead of me. Like that's such a good feeling. I know. Now I have the Sunday scaries, the Monday scaries, if you will, because it's Monday.

SPEAKER_01 8:46

Well, okay. I have a couple smiles of the week. My first one, this is such a Pete smile. I'm gonna sound like Pete when I say this. I went to Yin Yoga last night. And it is a Pete. It was really good. I had a pretty shitty day yesterday, and I I don't know why. I just took a selfie. Wait, yeah, Pete just started taking selfies of us.

SPEAKER_00 9:08

That was because I went to check my hair and then I was like, wait, kind of cute. And then I was like selfie. Why are you taking selfies? Anyway, sorry.

SPEAKER_01 9:16

Why are you taking selfies in the middle of my smile? Sorry. Okay, anyway. Um, I had a pretty shitty day yesterday. It was like post-4th of July scaries, I guess. I mean, I didn't like I wasn't that hungover, but in the morning I felt a little icky, but I was like, oh, how can I make myself feel better? I was looking at the yoga schedule actually to take a yoga class today, but then I saw there was a yin that evening, and Pete was so weird, as I was looking it up, Pete was like, I'm going to yin yoga tonight. And I was like, this that is what I'm literally looking at on my laptop right now. So I went to yin yoga, I fell asleep. It was so relaxing. I felt so, I was just in a meditative head space, and it was really awesome and exactly what I needed. Also, I'm obsessed with this teacher. She's so calming. Also, she puts a lavender towel on my forehead at the end, as all of the yoga teachers at this studio do. But she does a temple massage with it for a few seconds. Nice. So she like put it on my head and gave me a little temple massage, but I kept falling asleep. So, like when she put it on my head, I kind of jolted awake a little bit. Oh my gosh. But it was really nice. And she's such a great calming teacher. Her presence is so calming. Um, and so that's a smile. I also would just like to point out that Pete and I went out the other night, you guys. We did. That's right. We went to a bar and we were drinking.

SPEAKER_00 10:39

Yeah. We went out on the fourth and we went to a rooftop, and we wanted to see fireworks, but like apparently the fireworks show was nowhere near us. Um, but we did see like a couple, one-offs. Um, but yeah, we had a fun little night. But we were still home before like 1 a.m. Yeah. It was perfect.

SPEAKER_01 10:57

This I can feel myself getting older. Like, there was just an hour at the very end where I was kind of like ready to go home. And I used to be such a rallier, or even if I was feeling a little slumped, I would like drink an espresso, something. Like, I don't know, I'd figure it out and wake back up.

SPEAKER_00 11:15

I was so happy when you were the one to be like, I'm tired, I might want to go home.

SPEAKER_01 11:18

Has that ever happened when I've been the one to initiate?

SPEAKER_00 11:22

But usually in my head, I'm like, I want to go the fuck home, but like I'm waiting for someone else to say it. And I probably could have gone like a little longer. I was just getting a little bored. Yeah, that's fair. Like, I wasn't necessarily like tired, but I was just getting like, okay, now what, you know? So I was like down to go home. But I was so happy you said it. Cause I feel like the past year, like year or two, I've really struggled with going out, and it seemed like no one else around me was. And I was like, what's wrong with me? Like, am I a grandma?

SPEAKER_01 11:54

But maybe it just no, but this hit me in a period where you were definitely going home early when I still wasn't. Yeah. And I'd be kind of sad because I'd be like, I want Pete here. But now I'm now I'm tired too.

SPEAKER_00 12:07

Yeah. Wait, I wanted to say going off of your yin thing. Because I also went to yin yesterday. I think I was I've just been very tired and lethargic recently. I don't know what it is. I it's weird because maybe it is the heat. Maybe. Um, but I've just been a little tired. So I go into this yin class. I'm already feeling tired. I'm like waiting for it to start laying on my back. I'm already like dozing off basically. So the whole class, I'm like in this half awake, half asleep meditative state. It's like that state where like you don't really know if you were just asleep or not, which is a great place to be in. It's like the place you want to aim to be. But I always struggle to like get into that state fully and fully let go in a class setting. Yeah. Because one, it was like a small class. So there were only like nine people. The music was so quiet. Oh, that makes it hard too. Yeah, I felt like I was scared that I was gonna like start snoring. You know, like when you fall asleep and you're like in a weird state and you go, I was afraid like I was gonna do that. Okay, wait.

SPEAKER_01 13:12

Side note, you guys, this one time Pete and I we were at a spa and we were both like in this lounge chair, lounge chairs next to each other. We were so relaxed. We had had massages, we had just been in and out of saunas and steam rooms and hot tubs and swimming pools all day. And we both fell asleep. We were like resting in but there and there were other people in this little waiting room. Yes, and it was very quiet in there. And Pete made that noise. She was like, huh. Like when she was falling asleep. And I but it woke me up. It woke her up, and I turned and I looked at her, and we both just started dying laughing. It was so embarrassing.

SPEAKER_00 13:53

Oh my god. So I was afraid that was gonna happen to me in yoga, you know? So I kept, I kept falling asleep, and I it was one of those things where I could not stay awake because I was so relaxed. But then every time I was just like in and out, in and out of sleep. And every time I'd realized that I had like dozed off, I got like really like anxious about it. I don't know. I was just like, I feel too vulnerable. But then I was so tired and so relaxed and so zen that I just like could not help. I can't believe the amount of times I like kept falling asleep. It was crazy. I have felt what you've felt before, like being too scared, like scared of how it's weird though, because I do a lot of yin classes and like I've been in that state before, but I haven't felt that like anxiety attached to it.

SPEAKER_01 14:35

Maybe it was because the music was too loud and there were less people, so it's too quiet. Like, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:41

The music was too quiet.

SPEAKER_01 14:42

Oh, that's what I meant. Oh, the music was too quiet.

SPEAKER_00 14:46

Yeah, I just felt so vulnerable for some reason. But anyway, funny yin experience.

SPEAKER_01 14:51

Wait, something else funny from I'm like, how am I gonna tell people this? Do you know what I'm gonna say? No, okay, so Pete and I like have this thing where when we go on vacation, we like to take showers. We like to take showers together, okay?

SPEAKER_00 15:08

It's like fun and like it's very platonic, but like for a well, okay, it's I feel like it started out from our road trip because we would be in like scary places. So it used to be a comfort thing. Like, I'm at this scary camp, not scary, but like I'm at this campground where there might be like a bug or like a stranger. Like, so we would always just shower together, but then it kind of just became a thing.

SPEAKER_01 15:34

Mm-hmm. And we don't do it just we live together, we don't take showers together in our apartment. I don't think we ever have, no. But when we're on vacation together, we still do. And so, like, we're every time we go to Florida, I don't even know if Michaela knows. Does she know this? I don't know. But anytime we go to Florida to visit Michaela, we just take our showers together. But it was so funny because this past time, um, we were staying with Michaela's husband's family. So Michaela wasn't even there. Spencer wasn't there, it was just like us and Spencer's family. So we were like showering together in secret. Like it literally probably seems like we were like hooking up or something. Because why were we being secretive about it? Because it's weird.

SPEAKER_00 16:18

Because it's kind, like it's kind of weird. Like we could totally take our own separate showers, but but we didn't want to do that. We're the same way about like, I feel like we would always choose to if there was like an extra room to sleep in the same room together if we're on vacation. Like, I think it's just a thing of for me, it's like one comfort when you're in like a place, like, I don't know, it's fun to be together, and then if you go in the shower and then I just have to sit there, yeah, like that's boring. Plus, like showers are low-key fun.

SPEAKER_01 16:48

It's like watered, you're getting clean, and it's like fun to do a little bit.

SPEAKER_00 16:51

Chit chat. So, but the thing is, so we like doing that. So we would take the showers together, but then we were like trying not to get caught doing it. Yes, because that probably seems weird, but then like being secretive about it makes it even weird.

SPEAKER_01 17:06

Even weirder. I wonder if they were allowed to notice. I don't know. Like, we would sneak because the shower wasn't like in our room, it was in a different one. We'd have to go like across their house. So we'd be like sneaking to go take showers together. It's so weird.

SPEAKER_00 17:22

But like, yeah, there's nothing weird about it, but it probably seems weird from the outside.

SPEAKER_01 17:26

We're just the the human body is just a bot. I don't know what I'm saying. Um it's like fun to gossip in there, yeah. Okay, anyways, what are we talking about today?

SPEAKER_00 17:39

Today we're talking about I already forgot embracing boredom. Oh, okay. So basically, we're in a day and age where people do not want to be bored ever. Me, we've talked about this so many times, like about technology and social media, how it just like our feel like our brains are overstimulated 24-7. Um, you have like one free second standing in line somewhere, you're looking at your phone, like our our attention spans have really like our brains have learned, I feel, to reach for something to stimulate it at all times, and we kind of lost that natural boredom. I guess you could reframe boredom as being like giving your brain space to just like be and like think about things, process your emotions, be bored and do nothing. Like we rarely do that these days, yeah. And I think it's so important. I feel like meditation could really help with this because you you give your brain and body time to like actually do nothing, and that's the point of meditation because when you do that, it just creates space for so many other things.

SPEAKER_01 18:53

Yeah, I was literally thinking about this on my walk home from the dermatologist today. I had a like a 25-minute walk today. That's it. But on my walk home, I was I called my sister, I called my mom, I called my dad, none of them answered. So I was like, oh my gosh, what am I gonna do on my walk? And then I'm thinking, like, why I'm walking, why do I need to do something else? I was like, I could edit a TikTok, but I don't wanna like edit my like why can't I just You could just be because I don't have headphones right now. They broke again. I am the kind of person who always I like being stimulated at all times. Um, like I'm always listening to something or looking at something on my phone or talking to someone on the phone or whatever. Um and I don't know why that is.

SPEAKER_00 19:45

I feel like our brains get addicted to it, but yeah, I mean for sure.

SPEAKER_01 19:50

But also besides just like boredom in the everyday and needing stimulation, what about you and I were talking about boredom just in the more of the grand scheme of life right now, too. For sure. Like you were saying the other day that you've been feeling like you feel content in your current life, but like there's no excitement.

SPEAKER_00 20:13

Yeah. And I think I don't know. I I don't know if I have the answers to this. I think it's like a fine line because one, it's important to I think I've felt this way for a while. Like once I got settled into my life here, there's like a before and after. There's a before I made peace with it and an after I made peace with it. And I think it's important to make peace with the mundane things of your life. Not every day is going to be exciting, you know, but like you can find joy. That doesn't mean you can't find joy. Like, excitement doesn't have to exist for there to be joy there. And I think I used to get that those two like mixed up. We talk about this all the time: finding joy in the little things, finding like peace within your everyday life and your routines, and finding joy in what is expected. Like, so I think that I used to kind of correlate those two things, and then I learned how to not do that, and I feel a lot more peaceful and happy in general, I think, in my everyday everyday life. But then there's still part of me that craves like something exciting, something new. Um adventure. And I don't really know like the answer to that part. Like what where's the line? It's like when is it too when are you complacent versus content? I don't know. Exactly. And that's a good question. I guess it depends on the person. And I don't think I'm complacent, but I don't think you are either. I think I have like a fear of becoming that. So that when I then when I do feel in times of in my life when things are a little more just like. Mundane. I'm like, am I getting complacent? No, I'm still creating. I'm still, you know, taking steps toward the life that I want while being content with the life that I have and making peace with where I am now in the present. Even, you know, no one's is anyone ever like where they want to be? Yes, I'm sure. Yes. But like I think psychologically, when you reach the next step in your life, when you obtain something that you once dreamed of, your brain automatically is already thinking about the next thing. So, like, really, is anyone ever like exactly where they want to be, or are we always working towards something new? You know? That's a good question.

SPEAKER_01 22:45

I think about that with big celebrities who have like, I'm like, is Billy Eilish content?

SPEAKER_00 22:51

It's this weird line of like contentment versus fulfillment versus complacency versus boredom. Like they can all kind of like overlap, and it's kind of hard to figure out what is what sometimes.

SPEAKER_01 23:06

I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to word what I'm trying to say. Complacency is not necessarily a great thing. Well, I don't think boredom is necessarily a great thing either, but I think it's good to embrace boredom. I think it's possible to embrace boredom without getting complacent.

SPEAKER_00 23:25

I agree.

SPEAKER_01 23:26

Like I think that if you're working towards artistic goals and accepting that life might be a little boring in the meantime, while you're working your side jobs, maybe doing things you don't want to do, but still pursuing it, but then that makes me not come when I'm working on those things, I'm not bored either, though.

SPEAKER_00 23:49

So I don't know. Like I think and this is why I started talking about the day to day, because I think like boredom in the day-to-day is necessary and like moments of boredom, more moments of doing nothing, embracing the mundane, finding peace in the mundane, not needing every day to be exciting to feel joy. Yeah. Boredom in the more grand sense, that's where it gets a little more tricky. Cause it's like, am I bored? Am I not being fulfilled? Or am I just bored? Like that's what's hard to differentiate. Yeah, that's fairer. And I think we go through phases maybe of being like shorter phases. Maybe you have a couple weeks of being like bored and then maybe it passes, you know? But if it's a more extended period, I think that teeters on the line of being unfulfillment and complacency. I almost feel like this sense of like there has to be more to life. Like, I know that there's more to life. I feel that a lot. Sometimes I feel like there could be more excitement. And this is why maybe this is a really confusing conversation. I did just go on a big trip.

SPEAKER_01 25:09

So that was very exciting. And I was not bored, and I felt fulfilled in certain ways. I've been very anxious recently. I don't know, it's hard to say because summer is such a transitional period for me normally, too. Like, I'm not nannying right now. I'm kind of figuring things out as they go, babysitting randomly, trying doing as many tours as they'll give me. I'm kind of back to being like just kind of floating around right now, which I don't love, but I do know it's temporary. Like I'll be back on a stricter schedule in September with more financial consistency and consistency within my schedule. So I don't know. Life just doesn't feel real right now. I'm like, though I'm really trying to fill my free time with, or not my free time, but days, for example, when maybe I'm not needed for personal assisting or not needed for work. I really am trying to focus on my personal projects during that time. Like, okay, if I can't make money today, I'll work on the things that will help further my career, hopefully, that I want to have. So I spent this morning working, finalizing some of the night of new work stuff.

SPEAKER_00 26:21

I don't know. I think it's important to like, you know, if you are working towards something and you're not fully where you quote unquote want to be, like you kind of have to get out of the mindset of like, I'm not where I want to be yet. You're probably never gonna find fulfillment if you harp on the fact that you're not where you want to be. Because, you know, we have this one life, and sometimes it feels like while you're working towards dreams or goals, that like this part is not as significant as that part will be. But this is still life. But this is still your one and only life. This is part of your life. What is the point of making it if the journey wasn't enjoyable? And that's something I've been trying to embrace over the past couple years. Finding the the joy and the small things and knowing that it's okay to be bored. Like there will probably be a next chapter of life where I don't get to enjoy boredom as much. So like it's important to like cherish the time and space that you may have while you have it. But then also knowing the difference between, oh, maybe I'm just in like a quieter, more internal period of life versus I'm unfulfilled and like I need to make a change.

SPEAKER_01 27:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:47

Because like it's not serving me in any in any way, you know?

SPEAKER_01 27:51

Yeah. I've been feeling weird about my social life recently, kind of, which is very abnormal for me. Like, I think it's just because certain friends have like moved to other places. One of my New York besties has been traveling so much and our schedules aren't aligned. Like, I don't know. I feel like I haven't been hanging out. I did hang out with with people on Pride, which was fun. But yeah, that's something I really want to do this summer. I'm trying to have more fun. Pete and I, you and I have been having fun the past few days.

SPEAKER_00 28:28

Yeah. And I think that I hope I don't sound like a broken record on this podcast, but I I can't tell if it's just because it's summer or if I'm actually starting to like integrate more fun into my life in general. Well, it's very easy to do that in summer. Exactly. Just because it feels like it's summer. It almost feels like my body is forcing me to do that. Like through the winter, I felt very like disciplined and and spring too, like very just like in my routine and grinding and stuff. And now all of a sudden I feel like I don't feel as like I don't like my body doesn't feel like it wants to be in a routine right now. Yeah. Which is very abnormal for me. And it's a little scary because I'm like, I uh cherish my routine and it's a very important part of my life. And I do keep a lot of aspects of it, but like I've been a lot more lenient with myself, and I can't tell if it's just because it's summer or if it's like something that's happening that would happen regardless of the season. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 29:24

It's a lot of things. Well, one, yeah, your routine is changing so much. That's so true. Like my job situation has changed, so I'm still finding my footing there. Plus, you also just like randomly had four days off in a row. Yeah. Pete had four days off in a row for Fourth of July weekend.

SPEAKER_00 29:41

But then like the week before, I also did because I took time off to go home. And then the week before that, I had a friend visiting, which was so fun. Hello. So I think that like it's both. It's like the circumstances of life right now, but then also maybe just the way I've been feeling. Yeah. But I've been embracing the unknown, I guess. Yeah. And also embracing the aspects of my life that are known and expected, and just like finding finding the joy in the in the little things and the mundane.

SPEAKER_01 30:21

I think one thing I've been letting go of recently is the the desperation that actors often feel. Yeah. Like I think that I'm like even this morning, a part of me, and when I was working on a night of new work stuff, I was like, should I go on Actors Access and Actors Equity website and just see what auditions are there? And I didn't because I was like, I don't feel ready right now, actually. And I've I feel like I need to take it easy for myself right now. I know I've been really anxious recently, and I think that actually I don't want to do an audition yet. Whether or not that's good or bad, I don't know. I think thing I'm such a black and white thinker where I'm either like, uh, this means it's bad and I'm never gonna make it, or I'm like, actors need rest too. So I don't really know what I'm trying to say right now, but it was just a thought that passed through my head.

SPEAKER_00 31:18

Yeah. I think that there's also a line between like what's desperation versus what is just like drive. And I used to get those confused too. And I think that a while ago I was like, okay, I need to loosen the reins on this desperation. I feel that like if I never reach this specific goal, I'm never going to be okay. Like, this is the only thing. Bless you. Thank you. That matters in life. And I can't like be happy until I reach this one thing. Like, that's more a desperation, in my opinion. Yeah, I agree. You don't it doesn't even have like a why behind it, you know? It's just like this thing. And then there's also like feeling motivated and driven and locked into what you're doing, but also not feeling like you need to control the outcome of that. And I think that has helped me so much too in my artist journey is like not controlling the outcome, not feeling like I will not be okay if like this doesn't work out, or not be happy until I reach this certain thing. Like that was not serving me whatsoever because one, it's not true. Like, there's so much more to life. There's also periods where you take a break from auditioning or whatever, take a break from whatever you want to take a break from. Like, you only come back stronger. That's literally how our brains work. Like, sometimes you need to step away in order to come back stronger. Yeah. I remember taking summers off from school when we were training vigorously and coming back, like feeling like everything absorbed into my body and I felt better. Like, there's no use in pushing yourself to do something when the when it doesn't feel right to do it. And I think letting go of the narrative that that means that you're not like working hard enough or that you're not like gonna make it because of that. Like, no, we all need periods of that. So I think that's valid.

SPEAKER_01 33:19

Also, people who have never taken an acting class a day in their life book things, so there's just no there's no rhyme or reason.

SPEAKER_00 33:27

No, there's no rhyme or reason, there's no formula to anything.

SPEAKER_01 33:30

I will say a goal I have for myself, I low-key might take the rest of 2026 off from auditioning and just focus on a night of new works and my projects. However, I do think once I'm back in the school year and making more money than I am this summer, I do think I want to start taking voice lessons again and kind of gear up to be able to go hard in auditioning again in 2027, whatever that means. Like I think I do want to try again, but I I want to be like, I like voice, I like singing. I want to be in voice lessons. I want to feel like I'm getting better and enjoying it too, and also be in voice lessons for a few months before auditioning, just so I can be singing and not being like, need a lesson before this audition I need to do soon, and just like, I don't know, kind of getting my voice back in shape.

SPEAKER_00 34:21

I well, we were just talking about the fact, I don't know, I feel like when you're in the mindset of pursuing something as a career, you forget why you're doing it and like doing like we started doing this because we love doing it. But like, when was the last time I sang for enjoyment? You know, like we were just talking about about that the other day. So I think that's important too, is like remembering that it's something that you love to do, and that's the whole reason you're doing it, and also like no one's telling you, like you're not obligated to like keep pursuing, like you should be doing it because you want to do it, you know. Yeah, I also I miss like voice lessons. I miss learning. Voice lessons are so expensive. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 35:03

I know. For those of you who don't know, uh like 45-minute voice less, not 40, like an hour 60-minute voice lesson in New York City is around $180 normally.

SPEAKER_00 35:14

Yeah. So that's and the thing that I don't understand, and not saying that these voice, it's not worth it. I'm sure it is, but like I feel like with voice lessons, at least the way that I grew up doing it, it was very consistent. Like you would take weekly voice lessons, and that's the growth comes from the consistency. And I'm like, how are you? It's not like you can pay that every single week.

SPEAKER_01 35:40

So I'm like, I will say I did monthly voice lessons in the city for like maybe two and a half to three years of living here, maybe even more. And I did see a lot of growth just from the once a month. Yeah, I really did. I think, but I was also like, because I had that on the schedule, I was like singing more and practicing more, and I'd go back and listen and like warm up my voice to them. So I mean, it is still one of those things you have to be consistent with. But I did learn a lot from I've worked with two voice teachers in the city, and they both have taught me things and helped me find parts of my voice that I did not know existed until lessons here. So it I honestly found a lot of help in that. But I do get what you're saying because especially at Elon in college, we had voice lessons every single week for four years.

SPEAKER_00 36:35

Yeah. I mean, and I had voice lessons every single week, like from the moment I started voice lessons in college. Same all high school, consistent singing. Yeah. Well, and but that's also different because it's when your voice is developing. And so maybe when you when you are trained, like you don't need, I mean, not that it's ever gonna hurt, but like maybe you don't need it as consistently, or like you can get just as much from the monthly or like having them more dispersed throughout the year. But I do think, yeah, I guess working on it outside of lessons too and being consistent is important as well.

SPEAKER_01 37:13

Yeah. I think I was also auditioning a lot more, and so maybe that was part of it too. So I was using my voice quite often and using the techniques I'd learn like for the next week in an audition or even a couple days later. But yeah, I I miss being in consistent voice lessons, even to monthly, just like being like, oh, I get to go and sing and work on my voice. It just is a good feeling and I miss it. So I think that is something I want to because I've been taking a break from lessons and classes for a little bit now, which has made me sad. But I think I can I can figure out how to afford $180 a month to be back in voice lessons. I'm not gonna go balls to the wall and start doing a million classes again like I used to at once. But I think starting off with just monthly voice lessons again, I really wouldn't. It's kind of something that's been on my mind too. You and I have talked recently. Like, we're both singers. Like, I think we all sing. No, but like we are actually singers, like, not just like not just unannoying, but not just people like who like like to sing are good at singing but have never been trained. Like, we're like trained singers, we're really talented, we're living in New York City and not using our gifts, really. Like, I literally have been feeling like, and I've always loved to sing since I was younger. I think I didn't realize how much until kind of recently, now that I haven't been doing it. Like, I think it's just always kind of been something I have done. Like, yeah, I I sing and I enjoy it, and but now that I haven't been doing it, I'm like, fuck, I miss singing. It's this thing I'm really good at that I love to do. It makes me so happy. And why the fuck am I living in New York City and not singing? Like, and yes, like I would sing on auditions earlier this year and stuff, but like no, I need to be like actually singing. Like, I don't know, and acting too. Sometimes it just feels silly. It's like, why is my gift not being used right now? But we can also change that ourselves. You have music coming out soon.

SPEAKER_00 39:30

I mean, yeah, I think I get my fix of like musical fulfillment and singing stuff. Like, if I didn't have my music, I would be like, I'm not doing anything with my voice. Yeah. But like, I feel like I am exercising it in that way. And I did do a lot of shows and sang a lot when I first moved here. You do. And then I took a long period.

SPEAKER_01 39:54

But you've also said to me it feels like a different kind of singing because you're not like oh, it's totally different.

SPEAKER_00 40:00

Yeah, it's theater singing, music theater style is different than pop. Yeah. And like, especially the style of my music. But yeah, I do miss like I would love to take a voice lesson. I miss singing and using like the technique. And there are also things that like I want to strengthen about my voice. Like, I don't think my voice is perfect whatsoever. Like, there are things that I feel like I could work on, and I would like love to do that. It's just expensive. It's hard to find time. Expensive. Yeah. I don't even know how we got on this topic.

SPEAKER_01 40:36

We were talking about boredom. I don't know. Our conversations are just going. Yeah, I don't know. Well, I don't know. Maybe monthly voice lessons will add some amount of joy and less boredom.

SPEAKER_00 40:50

I want someone to like tell me something that's gonna, you know, when you like hit a um like you have a breakthrough in a voice lesson. I feel like I need a breakthrough. Like, I need to take like one lesson and someone says something to me that just like clicks and then it changes my voice forever.

SPEAKER_01 41:07

That was happening to me some in my monthly voice lessons here. Like, you know, that can happen even if it's not happening weekly. Yeah. I that's like the best feeling ever when you sing something you've never been able to sing before.

SPEAKER_00 41:18

Like when you're like, oh my god. Yeah. And then applying the consistency of like practicing to get it more into your working on it and getting it into your muscle memory. I love singing. But y'all. So I think like I think we got on this topic because we were talking about boredom and fulfillment, and singing is something that fulfills us. And I think if you are feeling bored to an extent that's like, okay, so I think there's two types of boredom. There's the everyday boredom, which is important to embrace and important to like honor, I guess, if that that sounds dramatic, but like it is. And then I think there's like a grander life boredom.

SPEAKER_01 42:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 42:01

That can I mean, I do think like chapters of boredom are okay as well. Like being more internal and and maybe not having a lot of things going on. Like, I think that's good too. But if it's like if it extends, then I think maybe you need to look into maybe it's becoming more of a less boredom, but more you're not fulfilled. So think about the things that would fulfill you and work on those and see like where you can bring in more fulfillment. It can come from so many different places, I think. Like spiritually, socially, like career related. And it's hard. It's easier said than done said than done. Sorry if this episode was boring.

SPEAKER_01 42:51

But also if it was, maybe you guys needed to hear it and learn to embrace it and sit with that boredom.

SPEAKER_00 43:00

So the take home is it's okay to be bored in your everyday life. It's actually important to embrace the moments of quiet and um not every day needs to be exciting.

SPEAKER_01 43:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 43:14

Moments of quiet and boredom can spark creativity, it can give you peace, it can help you process your emotions and also like paying attention to the thoughts you have, like it's good for reflection. Reflection. Like, I think sometimes you can only really understand what is going on in your head when you give it a moment to like not be occupied by anything else. So it is important to be bored, to have chapters of boredom. Things are going to be quieter in certain chapters, and certain days are going to have more, you know, mundane things. I think it's important to find the peace and joy in that. But if it is a longer, extended period of time of boredom, maybe you're unfulfilled and you need to figure out where that's stemming from and how you can add more to your life. And I agree with that take home. You can follow us at Take It Home Pod on Instagram and TikTok. Also, please subscribe on YouTube or whatever platform you're listening to this on. We'll show up in your feed every Thursday because we come out with a new episode every Thursday. Please share this episode with someone you think would like it as we are growing our little podcast here and approaching a year of episodes. Woo! Yay! Also, remember that you can get 50% off your order um with Poconol Maple Water with the code take it home on their website. We will see you guys next Thursday. Go be bored. Go be bored. Yeah. Love ya. Love ya.