Trusting the Journey: How to Thrive While Waiting

Trusting the Journey: Embracing the Waiting Game

Waiting. It’s one of the hardest things we do as humans. It’s that agonizing space between what is and what could be. Maybe you’re waiting to hear back about a dream job, refreshing your inbox every five minutes. Maybe you had an amazing first date and now find yourself staring at your phone so often your neck hurts. Maybe you’re waiting for news that could change everything.

We’ve all been there. That limbo where excitement and anxiety collide, making it almost impossible to focus on the present. Instead of enjoying where we are, we get caught up in what’s next. We spend so much time worrying about the future that we forget to appreciate the here and now.

I’ll admit—I’m been guilty of this many times. In times of waiting, I’ve found myself completely ignoring my mental health, skipping workouts, neglecting my spiritual practice, and abandoning my creative projects. Instead of using that time to prepare for what’s ahead, I let anxiety take over. Looking back, I realize how much I could have gained by simply shifting my perspective.

Take this for example: I once had three months off between jobs. A golden opportunity to focus on myself, build new habits, and start writing that book I’d been dreaming about. So, did I wake up early, hit the gym every day, and pour my heart into my creative work? Nope. I rewatched The Vampire Diaries from start to finish. (Team, Stephan all the way, seriously Elena, what were you thinking?)

But do I regret it? Not exactly. What I do recognize now is that I could have used that time more intentionally. The waiting periods in life are not just pauses; they’re preparation. They are sacred spaces where we have the chance to realign, grow, and get ready for the next chapter. When we spend them obsessing over what’s coming, we miss the beauty of where we are.

Some of the best things that have ever happened to me came as complete surprises. The job I wasn’t sure I was qualified for? I got it. The relationship I wasn’t expecting? It found me. The opportunities I didn’t even know I wanted? They showed up at just the right time. The truth is, we don’t always know what’s best for us—but the universe, God, and our higher selves do.

Worrying, stressing, and overanalyzing won’t bring the future any faster. It won’t make the job offer come through sooner, the second date happen more quickly, or the dream house suddenly become available. What’s meant for you will always find its way to you, exactly when it’s supposed to. And when it does? Chances are, you’ll be in the bathroom or otherwise indisposed, because life has a funny way of reminding us that we’re not in control—but we’re always exactly where we’re meant to be.

So, let’s stop obsessing over what’s next and start embracing the now. Let’s trust our path, enjoy the waiting, and use this time to prepare for the glow-up that’s already on its way.