Coaching Corner: Waiting is Never Easy

By Master Coach Marilou Butcher Roth

Several years ago, I was the mystery reader at my granddaughter Sophia's (aka “Fi”) second-grade class. I chose the book, "Waiting Is Never Easy," primarily for Fi, as she often had a hard time waiting for things — events, surprises, etc. After reading the book, we all discussed patience, and I found wisdom spoken authentically by these 8-year-olds! 

One of the questions I asked them was if they ever felt it was hard to wait for something. I received a resounding "YES" from everyone there! The next thing I asked them was how they handled the waiting. Here is where it gets interesting...

Responses varied, ranging from "I go play my video games" to "I just take a nap" to "I go ride my bike" and many more. The common thread, however, was the concept of distraction. Each action these tuned-in kids took clearly diverted their attention from what they were waiting for to something more enjoyable. 

So now I pose the same questions to you: 

Do you ever have a hard time waiting for something to happen, and how do you handle the wait time? Do you get yourself in a tizzy over it? Maybe you do, but that does not help anyone! Can you find easier, more productive ways to move gently through waiting periods? You could create a list of ways that might work for you. Or, follow the advice of some brilliant second graders and find ways to distract yourself — take your mind away from situations that you cannot control!

The next time you find yourself in the waiting game, find your best way through it by asking yourself what might allow you to take your ultra-focused attention off the wait. Enjoy!!

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