What are we (am I) waiting for anyway?!

I have had the word “wait” in my vocabulary for too long I have decided. Songs on the radio, the news, magazine articles, and television shows all talk about waiting for any number of things. Waiting for the right one to come along, waiting for the winning number to win the lottery, waiting for the kids to finish school, waiting for the kids to go back to school, waiting for the perfect opportunity, waiting for the economy to change, waiting for the weather to warm up, waiting for the weather to cool down, waiting for the In box to get empty, waiting for the deadline, waiting for the weekend, waiting for Monday…

I have been in a waiting pattern for any number of these things and it has become paralyzing for me. I have got to get out of the “When this happens then I will….Syndrome”. I have been thinking a lot lately and trying to get out of it and I think I have found the solution. Here are just a few examples of how I have to turn this around… Instead of saying “when I lose 20 pounds I’ll start running again”, I need to say “when I start running again I’ll lose 20 pounds.” Or “when my bills settle down from my recent situation, I’ll get my finances in order.” Instead I need to say “when I get my finances in order, my bills will settle down.” Or “when work calms down, I’ll get more organized.” Yes, you guessed it – I need to say “when I get more organized, work will calm down.”

Of course there are some things I just have to wait for but I am prayerfully and patiently putting that into His hands. As for the rest of it – I CAN do something – and I will not continue to feel paralyzed by the waiting.

There is a web newsletter I subscribe to and there were some powerful words of wisdom I want to share also…. Enjoy!


Myth #1: I am waiting for things to turn around.
The reality is that things don’t turn themselves around. Here is a lesson learned while grazing cows. If you want milk, you don’t wait for the cow, grazing some distance from where you are, to back up for you to milk it. You get up and go where the cow is.

Myth #2: I would want to…(fill the blank), BUT…
The reality is that BUT is so powerful it neutralizes the positive motive stated before it. The future largely depends on how many “BUTS” you use at the present. Take an innocent and simple sentence like, “I want to go to college,” then follow that great statement with, “but I am too old.” That BUT empowers your bones to crack and your mind to operate as if you are approaching your life’s sunset.

Myth #3: It is not my responsibility to…(fill the blank).
That phrase demotes you from a doer to a watcher, a spectator of life who avoids participating. Check those around you. Doers are the achievers. Think about the time you went somewhere requesting help and someone said, “I do not have a solution for your situation, however, let me check around.” Even if that individual willing to do something can’t help you, you know he/she took full responsibility to act on your need.