There are many great causes and events that we commemorate with an officially designated month. For instance, February is celebrated as Black History Month, while May is known as Mental Health Awareness Month. Most months share the distinction of honoring multiple events, such as June where two of its recognized causes include Adopt a Cat and National Fireworks Safety Month.

Well, here we are in July, and it is officially National Anti-Boredom Month. Yes, it’s true! Now before you say someone must have been awfully bored to come up with that, the idea really has some merit. According to its founder, Alan Caruba, after July 4 there isn’t much going on with school out for the summer and it being the hottest part of the year, so he felt it was the perfect month for such a campaign.

The anti-boredom movement states that boredom itself is not just about having anything in particular to do, but rather the need to identify what makes us bored and to find ways to combat it.

Sounds simple enough, right? Well, if you’re struggling a bit with coming up with ways to beat boredom, here are some fun and simple things you and your family can do, courtesy of www.nationaldaycalendar.com.  (Just for fun, we threw in a few Forest Lawn related suggestions.)

• Play – Board games are an excellent way to fight boredom. Outdoor sports are fun, too. Beach trips are perfect in the summer.
• Get physical – Exercise not only provides stimuli but also helps change scenery and improve health. A walk on the grounds of one of Forest Lawn’s beautiful memorial-parks can do wonders.
• Learn – Read a book, take a class or visit a museum. Speaking of museums, the newly remodeled Forest Lawn Museum in Glendale is scheduled to open October 10, 2019 with a new exhibit, called The Elevated Eye. Free admission and parking.
• Clean -Tackling a cluttered cupboard, closet or even garage brings about a bit of satisfaction for a job well done.
• Cook – Making dishes in our own kitchen with ingredients we enjoy gives us two ways to be satisfied.
• Volunteer – Helping someone who needs something more than you often makes us reassess why we were bored in the first place.
• Get social – Visit a friend or neighbor. Aunts, uncles or cousins would enjoy a friendly conversation over an ice-cold popsicle.