I’ve learned a few things about waiting. I can’t say I’m a fan of waiting for what I want but I’ve finally learned to harness the waiting periods in a new way. Some might call it the virtue of patience, but I’ll never admit to being patient.
Inactive waiting is a self-torture. It’s a surer way to get stuck, slip into complaining, and let your creativity get flabby. You put things on hold. You spend a lot of time in One Day, Some Day Town. You see things around you as, “not quite what I’m waiting for.” And then you get into the New-Age sponsored self-down talk, “Why aren’t I manifesting what I want?”
Beloveds! There’s another way.
THE PRINCIPLES OF ACTIVE WAITING
Regard the waiting period as an opportunity. This is major. This is IT. Decompression time, ebb to the flow, calm before the storm. Extra time to get in better shape, clean out your closet, get your finances in order so if more prosperity comes, it’s put to best use. Make room for the love that’s sure to come. I was at a friend’s cluttered apartment and he was saying how much he wanted to have a live-in girlfriend. And I was like, “Dude, where would she put her stuff?” He got his tidy on to make space for the live-in love he was waiting to find. That’s active waiting—happily preparing for what you trust is on its way to you.
Make space in your life for the inevitable arrival of what you want.
Waiting time is a great self-love assignment. Of course the romance will fill a space in your life, and hopefully the career win is going to be fulfilling. But without those future things, you’re still supreme now. You’re good and beautiful today. And when you tap that self assuredness, that dignity and self worth, you’re more likely to manifest what you desire for your future because you’re manifesting it today.
Take comfort in the fact that you’ve done all that you can do. This is a gratifying place to be in. You’ve put in your time, you’ve pulled all the strings you can reach. You’ve lined up your ducks, planted your seeds. Nuthin’ to do now but… wait. You’ve shown up. You’ve met the universe half way. Good job. Focus on today now.
Distract yourself with presence. This is the best kind of Jedi mind trick. You can see what you want on the horizon, and you look at your life today and say, “There is so much right here that I’ve been waiting for.” Both are true.
Love,
Danielle LaPorte is an invited member of Oprah’s SuperSoul 100, a group who, in Oprah Winfrey’s words, “is uniquely connecting the world together with a spiritual energy that matters.” She is author of White Hot Truth: Clarity for keeping it real on your spiritual path—from one seeker to another. The Fire Starter Sessions, and The Desire Map: A Guide To Creating Goals With Soul—the book that has been translated into 8 languages, evolved into a yearly day planner system, a top 10 iTunes app, and an international workshop program with licensed facilitators in 15 countries. Named one of the “Top 100 Websites for Women” by Forbes, millions of visitors go to DanielleLaPorte.com every month for her daily #Truthbombs and what’s been called “the best place online for kickass spirituality.” A speaker, a poet, a painter, and a former business strategist and Washington-DC think tank exec, Entrepreneur Magazine calls Danielle, “equal parts poet and entrepreneurial badass…edgy, contrarian…loving and inspired.” Her charities of choice are Eve Ensler’s VDay: a global movement to end violence against women and girls, and charity: water, setting out to bring safe drinking water to everyone in the world. She lives in Vancouver, BC with her favourite philosopher, her son. You can find her @daniellelaporte and just about everywhere on social media.
