"Escape the Waiting Place: Start Taking Action on Your Dreams Today."

One of my favourite children's books is Dr Seuss's "Oh, The Places You'll Go." In this book, Seuss discusses possibilities, bravery, and moving forward. He also talks about setbacks, bumps, and a place called The Waiting Place.

“You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place…for people just waiting.”

Oh, The Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss

I often find myself constantly waiting. Once one thing is over, I find myself waiting for the next. Waiting has a way of becoming a habit. It's common for me to procrastinate, abandon my dreams, and remain stagnant.

I've found myself in this waiting place so many times and for so long that I've lost count. I wait for the perfect opportunity, the right conditions, and an unattainable level of perfection to feel secure enough to move forward and address my traumas to live a fulfilling life.

I kept telling myself, "I will start coaching after I get my certificate." Well, I got the certificate. Then, I convinced myself, "I need to set up a website before I can start coaching." I have finally worked on that and got it done. But now, I keep thinking, "My website has to be flawless before I launch it." It took me so long to let go of this idea until I finally said "enough" and launched the site.

I keep telling myself, "I need to create and schedule content before I can start coaching," but first, I need a content calendar to learn about social media marketing, and so on.

I think, "I will have more time when my youngest daughter goes to college." Then I think, "I'll take control of my kitchen and focus on my diet when my helper leaves." But in reality, I'm just doing nothing and only waiting.

“Waiting for the train to go or a bus to come, or the rain to go, or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everybody is just waiting.”

Oh, the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss

What if this waiting place is just a construct of our minds, where our fears are constantly fed, our ability to take risks is toned down, and our dreams fade because time passes, and we forget what we want? What if we are waiting for something to happen that has no direct association with the outcome? What if this waiting place is meant to bench us, playing with our confidence and willingness to follow our dreams?

What if we don’t have to wait? Do you get it?

“Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for the wind to fly a kite or waiting around for a Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for the Uncle Jake or a pot to boil or a Better Break, or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.  Everybody is just waiting.”

Oh, the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss

You will tell me, but sometimes we must wait, and I agree. I cannot go to the Maldives on holiday if I don’t have the money yet.

The Place I’m talking about is irritating and impatient, where we do nothing but stay static. We become oblivious to what we were waiting for—the place where we do nothing. We don’t dare to dream, care, or feel.

What if waiting becomes a place of action until we get what we want? It becomes a place for preparation and planning, a place to put into action little steps to take us to the goal we want to achieve. So, it won’t mean I’m still.

“NO! That’s not for you!

Somehow, you’ll escape all that waiting and staying. You’ll find the bright places where the Boom Bands are playing.”

Oh, the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss 

The big break won't come if we don't step forward. It's magical thinking to want something but do nothing about it and wait. My invitation is to start taking the first tiny steps towards what we want without too much planning or waiting for perfect conditions.

Let's start the exercise:

1. Think about something you've been waiting for a long time. Please write it down. Start thinking about it and feeling it all in—there are no buts yet, just what you want to experience.

2. Write down what you are waiting for this to become a reality.

3. How would it be different if you didn't have to wait for this? Write down the actions you will take to make this happen.

4. What do I need to set the first action in motion?

5. Can I start right now?

6. What do I need to set the second action in motion?

7. Can I start right now?

8. And so on...

Let’s give an example:

The Maldives sounds appealing, and I'm contemplating it as I jot it down.

1. I would love to go to the Maldives with my husband and stay in a luxurious hotel room with a private pool deck. I want to bask in the sunlight and have a romantic holiday. I also want to indulge in delicious food and explore the islands. (At this point, I realized that I don't know much about the Maldives, only what I have seen in photographs and videos)

2. I am postponing our expensive holiday until we have enough money. (I realized I don't know the trip cost)

3. If I don’t have to wait for the money, I will research the Maldives more and see how much it will cost me to travel there in 3 months. I will browse hotels, tickets, and tours. I will write down an itinerary.

4. I can start by researching the Maldives online to learn more.

5. Yes, I can start now. It will take me 30 minutes.

Let’s stop here and see what’s developing. I’m setting things in motion. I’m no longer in the waiting place. I’m setting an actionable plan.  In developing the plan, you will find actions moving you closer to your goal. Still, money is the issue here, and eventually, once I know how much I need for the trip, I will create a plan that will allow me to save or earn money for it.

I’m no longer in the waiting place. I’m preparing, strategizing, and working on it.

Whatever you are waiting for, whether big or small, take small actions to set it in motion and bring you closer to your goals. This is how you can open up possibilities and feel purposeful.

Love,

Ivette