Wasting by Waiting

I’ve notice that at some point in everyone’s life, we wait. Some people do it more than others, but really, we all wait.

This waiting can include waiting for a phone call, waiting for those skinny jeans to fit again, waiting for that engagement ring after a decade together, waiting for someone to stop smoking and gambling, waiting for someone to stop cheating on you, waiting for a new job, waiting for an opportunity, waiting for the right time to come. The list goes on. But it is all the same: waiting is a waste.

Yes, I am bitter about this because I am guilty as charged. I often wait. I don’t do it intentionally, but I do often fall into the trap of waiting. I often wait for things to happen, but really, things don’t just miraculously fall into our waiting hands…So through all these torturous waiting periods (of my life and also of others that I’ve witnessed), I’ve come to realize several things.

First, the waiting is our fault. We have the power to do something, whether it be to walk away from a failed relationship or call up every office to ask for a vacant position. But rather, we sometimes enjoy feeling sorry for ourselves and bask in the attention and sympathy from other people.

Second, we wait because we are afraid. No matter how confident we seem or how laidback we appear, we are afraid to move on. We get scared that this is the best its ever going to get. So maybe we should hang around until something better comes around. Maybe it’s in regards to finding a new job, moving to a different city, making new friends, wanting to end a bad relationship. In all aspects, we are afraid that if we walk away, we might lose whatever little it is that we already have and yet never reach our goal.

And that is scary. And that is why, more often than not, we choose to wait. However safe and comforting the waiting game seems to be, it is a waste of time. Think about all the things that we could have achieved, have we not waited. Yes, maybe we could’ve failed miserably, but I would rather fall and bruise than to keep thinking what if.

This is actually one of my new year’s resolutions - don’t just wait…DO!!