Tag: Waiting

Are You in a Season of Waiting?

Some of you may be waiting for love, test results from your doctor, or even your dream job.

There are times in life when we feel like we are constantly waiting for something. For someone to pop into our lives, for something to happen. I am currently in a season of waiting. It is an uncomfortable feeling, but a few things have helped me along the way.

Waiting Patiently

Waiting for things that we want is very difficult. It is human nature to want something and to want it now. Patience truly is a virtue; it is hard to desire something and to have to be patient about it. We are hardwired to want instant gratification.

I am at a season in my life where I am waiting. Many things in my life right now are up in the air and as unsettled as that leaves me feeling, I know that it is a part of life. If we think about it, we are almost always waiting for something or someone.

Life Makes Us Wait

We may be waiting for the bus, our workday to be over, a green light at a traffic stop, we might be waiting for dinner, or our turn in line. Why don’t these types of situations cause anxiety while waiting? In these cases, we know that we will get what we want. There is no anxiety because we don’t have to guess whether or not our wants and needs will be met.

In other larger instances, we don’t know what the outcome will be. Unlike above, we know that the light will eventually turn green, we will eventually get off of work, and we will have dinner at some point. These larger situations in our lives can create a lot of turmoil and anxiety.

We start to wonder; will I find love? Will I get a job? Will my friend and I be able to work out a conflict? Our minds and imaginations go wild, and we start thinking of all possible scenarios. Will our test results come back with good news from the doctor? Am I going to have a future where I am financially secure?

What I Found Helpful

As I sit here and reflect on my season of waiting, here are some things that have helped me get through:

  1. Acknowledging that we will always want and desire something that we cannot have immediately. Even when we do finally obtain what we are looking for, there will always be something else that we will want in the future. Knowing that even when we get the one thing that we need or want now, it doesn’t mean that we will be free from desire in the future. As humans, we are always longing for something.

2. Being distracted is a huge help. Get involved in activities, and hobbies, and socialize when possible. Being with others and keeping your mind busy makes waiting feel a lot shorter than when we sit and dwell on something.

3. Practicing mindfulness can help as well. When we see what we do have in the present moment, it can help us feel fulfilled and grateful instead of focusing on what we lack.

Closing Remarks

Perhaps one of the biggest things that can help is also the simplest and that is holding onto hope. If we haven’t lost hope, we are in pretty good shape! Life can truly change at any moment and what are desiring may just be a day away.

Most of the time, we do eventually get what we desire out of life, even if it’s not exactly what we wanted or the way that we expected it to end up being. When we do finally get our heart’s desire, it will be the most amazing feeling in the world!

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The Parking Lot

There I sat, in the parking lot of a grocery store, waiting for a family member to finish their shopping trip. The sun was shining bright, and the sky was filled with fluffy white clouds. The trees were a beautiful green and there was a slight breeze in the air, which was more than welcomed on this hot and humid day.

I, like many, am a very busy person these days. Months feel like weeks and there is always a lot to do, I am very much living a life full of hustle and bustle at the moment. There is hardly any time in my day that I can truly sit and be at one with myself and my surroundings, a little piece of bliss that I truly miss.

As I sat in this parking lot, I had such a sense of peace and serenity come over me. I wasn’t focusing on what I had to do next, or knocking anything off of my to-do list, I was simply focused on the beautiful nature that surrounded me and the sound of my breath. I was focused on just being. At this particular moment, I felt as if the world had stopped, this was true mindfulness, something that we all could use more of.

So often as I am driving, I’m thinking about so many things, but hardly about the gorgeous scenery that surrounds me. So often I am cooking, but I don’t pay attention to the beautiful colors and invigorating smells in front of me. So often I am watching TV, but instead of getting lost in a good show, I am thinking about what I need to do tomorrow. We could bring so much more peace and joy into our lives if we practiced mindfulness, if we truly exist in the here and now.

I sat there in the car without a care in the world. I admired nature’s beauty as I felt the warm sun on my skin and realized just how nice, rare, and precious this moment was. Sometimes the happiest moments are ones where we are alone and can turn our busy minds off for even a few minutes. Who would have thought that something as simple as a parking lot could remind me of a very important practice…the practice of mindfulness.