Surviving the Waiting Game

The figure on the Seven of Pentacles knows what she wants, and she’s not just dreaming. She’s already started laying the groundwork. She’s determined to help her plan blossom into her reality. She can envision her successful business, her published novel, her gorgeous home. Part of her has faith that her plans will come to fruition. But part of her is getting impatient. Why isn’t this thing happening yet?!?! Gaaaahhh!

If you are striving to create Big Important Things in your life, you can probably relate. Logically, we understand there can be beauty in the waiting game. This is an opportunity to take stock and prepare your next move. Even though you consciously know this, if you’re like me, you might find yourself distressed, impatient and frustrated as you wait for your desires to unfold. I’ve discovered a few tactics that have helped me make peace with the waiting game, and I’ll share them with you today.

Choose to channel your energy into planning, not stressing.
Stress likes to try to convince you that it is productive. The truth is that stress is work, but it will get you nowhere. Stress tends to crop up in high gear as you wait for your deepest desires to manifest. Practice catching yourself in the act of harboring stressful thoughts. It’s easier said than done, but with persistence you can transform stressful energy into something useful.

Force yourself to breathe and look at things objectively. Remind yourself of the concrete progress that you’ve made so far. Calmly evaluate what’s working and what isn’t. The waiting game is a gift from the universe. Instead of plowing blindly forward, re-examine your maps. Reflect and recalibrate. Get back to work only once you’ve developed a solid action plan.

Repeat an affirmation or mantra that expresses trust in divine timing.
We stress out during the waiting game because we want things to happen on our time. We take on the full responsibility of birthing our desires into reality. That’s a heavy burden to carry, and saps energy we could be spending elsewhere. There’s only so much planning, working and stressing we human beings can do before we have to hand things over to a higher power. Again, even if you consciously know this, it can be easy to forget. An affirmation provides an anchor for your consciousness. Mine is “I trust the expansion of the Universe.” What’s yours?

Try an exercise in imagination and visualization.
I will forewarn you: when I first read this exercise in Spirituality & Health magazine, I thought it sounded cheesy as all get out. But I tried it, and felt an immediate upsurge of peace. Sit somewhere quiet and take a few deep breaths. Imagine that thing that you’re working towards – the house, the business, whatever. Picture it as vividly as you can. Now imagine it engulfed in a golden sphere of light. Let the sphere of light go. Choose to let it drift away from you. Release it to the universe. Have faith that the universe will bring it back to you when the timing is right. This helps loosen stress and frees up the energy needed to devote to your work without obsessing over the outcome.

As long as you’re dictating when and how results will come, your progress will be stunted.
click to tweet this

Consciously taking steps to accept divine timing will free up your energy.
click to tweet this

These tips don’t ensure that your goals and desires will be presented to you on a silver platter. But they do offer relief as you witness the unfolding of your life. Make peace with the waiting game, and you’ll have a more clear idea of your next right step.

Like what you see here? Subscribe to receive my monthly newsletter + four free guided meditations.