You find yourself wondering what to do next with your life. You are currently hoping to get invited to that airline interview. Your on reserve, waiting around the crashpad for the call from scheduling. You date and date and date, looking for ‘your person’ with what seems to be no success. You send prayers to the universe or God; asking for wisdom, direction, or something to make some sense. And nothing really happens. All you are doing is waiting and waiting and waiting.
“Will this waiting be worth it?”
Just because—for some reason— you find yourself in a season of waiting, it’s not purposeless, useless, or unnecessary. There are reasons beyond your understanding right now of why you wait. You may not be able to change the wait, but you can change your attitude within the wait.
I write that as a reminder to myself, maybe even more so than for you. It’s an encouragement for my own soul because I’m in a period of my life that is asking me to wait. And I don’t like to wait. I mean, really? Who likes to wait, especially in airplane land? It’s not like airport security has Disneyland on the other side, and if someone had a quicker way to transport me around the world than a long flight, all I can say to that is, “HELL YASSSSS!!!” I would jump on that wagon in a second. But that’s not the way life operates, and I think a part of me knows that someday, I’ll look back with gratitude on this time, thanking God for the wait that I once didn’t understand.
Because, I had to wait for a flight attendant job that came only after many months of rejection and struggle; disappointment and questioning. If I had got what I thought I wanted, I would be a Marketing Exec in a California farm-town with many less cultural experiences, country hopping, and incredible memories all wrapped into a few short years. The wait— I promise you— will make ‘the arrival’ that much sweeter. You will take less for granted and cherish the moments that you have so much more.
Waiting asks of me patience, faith, and trust. Waiting begs me to believe. Waiting begs you to believe.
“That all things work together for good.”
“That there are plans for you to prosper.”
That His “Compassions fail not; they are new every morning.” (even the jet-lagged mornings)
It’s a HUGE challenge to stay happy, hopeful, and grateful during the wait. I’m struggling quite a bit in my own life with my own wait, but I’m giving myself some advice to make the life wait just an ounce more productive and a bit more positive. I want to share them with you.
Keep learning— Even though I’m not currently living on a beach in a Spanish speaking country kiting, writing, and studying Espanol every single day, I am doing little things to speed along the process, if in the event, that lifestyle pans out for me. Yesterday, while at work, I had a Spanish study session with my Argentinian, Puerto Rican, Venezuelan, and Brazilian colleagues between serving food and drinks. I look obsessively around the world for the best wind and easiest ways to get there, making kiteboarding a very big priority in my life. And, I pick up freelance writing work and blog in the time left over. I keep pushing myself and looking at my dreams and goals. Even though I find myself discouraged more than usual recently in my own season of the wait, I truly am trying in the ways that I know how to at least make baby steps toward somewhere.
Keep your core group close— During times that are challenging and uncertain, it’s more important than ever to keep your friends close. I know that when I begin to feel hopeless, I retreat and isolate. Don’t do this! Instead, go out with your girls to a movie, coffee, or the beach. Encourage each other when you are down and reach out. I’m sure they have experienced their own season of waiting and if nothing else, will be a comforting ear and shoulder to cry on.
Do one thing every day that makes you smile— Being in Scandinavia in the summer makes me giddy. Riding my bike by the beach in Florida makes me happy. Flat whites while watching the surf in California is a moment of bliss in my world. Sometimes the simplest things bring the biggest smiles to one’s face and when you are “waiting” sometimes you need the reminders that a smile can bring.
Do one thing every day to make someone else smile— Now it’s time to turn the attention away from you. Make someone’s day brighter in someone. You were created with unique talents and gifts and when you are down, you are less able to showcase that to the universe. AND your unique talents and gifts are needed. Someone needs you to do. Find a way to bring a smile to someone else’s face every single day while you are in your time of wait.
Stay tenacious— You may not be “killing it” right now, but that doesn’t matter. Because you will eventually, and your tenacity will determine that. If you find the strength to stay tenacious and push-on when you feel like you are trudging through the muck of life, you’ll get somewhere that is worth getting. You need your tenacity, determination, and belief in better to get to better. Always stay tenacious.
The outcome is not your responsibility— And now, it’s time to let go of your need to control today, the outcome of tomorrow, and how someone will or will not accept you. Do your part by showing up, holding up your values and beliefs and working hard, but let ‘what will be, be.’ You have the responsibility over your attitude during the process of becoming and during the moments that make you wait.
Let’s make our waits memorable instead of the devil. You with me?
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