Earlier this year my husband and I decided to relocate to the northwest. One of our goal’s was to escape the harsh winters of the northeast.

We did our research and put a plan in place. We dotted our i’s and crossed our t’s and were on schedule for a late October departure. Our plan was to arrive in Las Cruces, New Mexico by November 1st.

We downsized. We packed. We forwarded our mail. We marched forward, acting as if we were moving. The goal was to make ourselves uncomfortable so that one day we would wake up and say, it’s time to go. No turning back. 

In late September we heard a rattle in our Dodge Promaster Van. Into the repair shop it went on October 1st. 

October 26th – the day we were to leave – came and went. 

November 1st – the day we were to arrive in New Mexico – came and went.

We never dreamed that the first week in November we’d still be in New York, waiting to get our vehicle back. Waiting to start our drive cross country. Waiting to start our great adventure in New Mexico. Waiting for a call that would say our vehicle was done and we could move forward with our plan. 

It was in the waiting that we stopped living.

We sold our gym equipment and filled that space with boxes, so we stopped working out.

The weather turned cold, so we stopped riding our bikes.

We got rid of our kayaks and packed up my inflatable SUP, so we stopped spending time near the water.

One of us even stopped posting on social media. She stopped connecting with friends. 

She even stopped writing. Most writers love to read and write. It’s like breathing. When we read, we inhale. When we write, we exhale. When we stop writing it’s like we stop breathing. We stop living.

Have you been in the Waiting Place?

Waiting for summer. Waiting for ski season. Waiting for school to start. Waiting for finals to be over. Waiting for the holidays. Waiting for the holidays to be over. Waiting till the kids grow up. Waiting till the kids graduate. Waiting till the pandemic is over. Waiting to retire. Waiting for test results. Waiting for life to slow down. Waiting for life to go back to normal.

Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. 

The waiting place is STRESSFUL. It’s where we overthink and over-analyze. We stuff our feelings with food. We fret. We snap at our loved ones. We lose sleep. 

The real threat of the waiting place is that we stop living.

Here is what I know:

As soon as we become aware of something that is off or out of balance, we can take steps toward changing it. 

One of my favorite all-time books is “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” by Dr. Seuss (a great graduation gift or holiday gift or anytime gift for people of all ages.) 

The story is about a boy who is starting off on a journey to Great Places. 

“Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!”

But, like any great adventure, there can be Bang-Up’s or Hang-up’s and slumps. We may end up in the Waiting Place. 

Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

NO!
That’s not for you!

Somehow you’ll escape
all that waiting and staying
You’ll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.

Oh, the places you’ll go! 

This morning, we cleared a space, set up our trainers, and got back on our bikes. We dug out our TRX GO Suspension Training and added strength training back into our schedule. We bundled up, jumped in our loner vehicle, and went down to sit by the water where we talked about all the things in life we are grateful for. I wrote this blog and unpacked my notebooks that are filled with inspiration and outlines for my next books. We got busy and got back to living our life more abundantly.

Whatever you are waiting for, it’s time you escape the waiting place.

Get busy. Carve out time to do more of what you love. Take the next logical step… take a course, call a friend or mentor, go for a walk or sign up for a fitness class. Start the nutritional program your friend has raved about for over a decade. Do a job search. Start planning your next vacation or road trip. Find a hobby or a project that will put you back in the present moment. Volunteer. Be of service.  

Choose to be productive.

When you do more of what you love you learn to enjoy each moment. You begin to trust that everything will work out and the timing will be perfect. 

You learn to trust that while you are waiting, God is working. 


Additional Reading:

From my blog:


Additional Resources

Lori Ann King, athlete and author using the TRX

Buy Now: TRX GO Suspension Training

Buy Now: Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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