Message #606 - Waiting

0:0012 lessons in waiting. Bet you can't wait. Ha! You've reached talking with Dr. Terry 180 seconds to a better you, message number 606 and I'm Dr. Terry Wordsbacher. The next time you're waiting, don't only ask when will this be over, ask what is my mind doing while I wait. Sometimes the lesson is not in what we're waiting for, the lesson is who we become while we're waiting. I've been on my plate for the last eight weeks and I'm not the one who's skilled in it. But I have made it through this time with greater perspective on each day. I'm much better at looking what I can do right now rather than what I want to do next week or next month or next year. So here's a list of what nature teaches us about waiting. Disclaimer, the list is not mine but of course there will be editorial comments from me. One, waiting reveals our impatience. If something takes longer than expected, we can see how strongly the mind wants things to happen immediately, that instant gratification age that we're in.

1:01Two, waiting teaches us about control. We can't control every outcome or make everything happen according to our preferred timing. It also helps us see that things really do work out for us if we give them time. Three, waiting shows us our expectations. Sometimes suffering comes not from the situation itself but from the expectation that it should have happened differently. Often when asked if we had a good time for instance we'll say something like it was okay or no, simply because it didn't mean our expectations even though nothing bad happened. Four, waiting can become a practice of mindfulness instead of constantly thinking about what comes next, we can notice what's happening in the present moment. Five, waiting reveals attachment. The stronger our attachment to a particular outcome, the harder it can be to wait peacefully. Six, waiting teaches patience. patience is not simply doing nothing, it's learning to remain steady without immediately reacting. We've talked about that with communication. Seven, waiting reminds us that circumstances change.

2:01A situation that feels permanent today may be completely different tomorrow. Eight, waiting can teach us to appreciate ordinary moments. A quiet moment, a conversation, or simply observing our surroundings can become meaningful when we stop rushing towards the next thing. Nine, waiting exposes our restless mind. Sometimes what makes waiting difficult isn't the absence of activity but the constant movement of our thoughts. Ten, waiting teaches acceptance. Acceptance doesn't mean giving up, it means seeing the present situation clearly instead of constantly fighting against it. Eleven, waiting teaches us that not everything is immediate. Some things require time, conditions, effort, patience before they can come to fruition. Just look at nature, farming, planting seeds, etc. At twelve, waiting can reveal what truly matters. When we're forced to slow down, we may discover how much of our daily life is spent chasing things that do not deserve so much of our attention. Have a diamond day everybody.