There are many times in our lives when we have to cope with the agony of waiting. When things are out of our control and we’re stuck waiting, it can be so hard not to jump up and down and scream. I know what it feels like to numbingly stare at the second hand tick, tick, ticking by on the clock. Our patience and ability to stay calm and collected are put to the test when we have to wait for life changing events to occur, or not to occur, and sometimes it’s just plain awful.
In thinking back on my life, there are several events that stand out in my mind when I had to endure the agony of waiting. And I’m not talking about waiting for the bus or the pizza delivery man to arrive. Some of these memorable events were single occurrences, others repeating.
I’m sure you can think of several examples in your own life. There may even be something you’re trying to endure right now. Perhaps I can help you cope with the agony of waiting in your life through sharing what I’ve learned from my own experiences. I completely understand how frustrating and nerve wracking it is when there’s nothing you can do but sit and wait, and hope for the best.
The Agony Of Waiting For Interviews And Finding A Job
I totally understand how tiring and difficult it is trying to find a job. It takes hours hunting for job listings, researching companies, and customizing your resume. There have been several times in my life when I started applying for jobs I didn’t even want just for the higher chance I’d get called in for an interview somewhere.
It’s an empty feeling submitting resumes and cover letters into a black hole and never getting a phone call or email back. Some companies are good at sending rejection letters to all the candidates that don’t make it in for interviews, but that doesn’t make them any easier to take.
Still, you just have to keep at it if you want to find work because jobs don’t come knocking on their own anymore. If you want to switch careers, maximize your free time while you’re still working if you can. Save your paychecks, start networking, and start working on your resume now. I got more than half of all the jobs and internships in my career through networking. Reconnecting with people, and making new connections helped build my confidence, and take away some of the agony of waiting.
It does take time, so try to have fun with the process by going out for lunches and drinks when you network instead of just emailing and making phone calls. Keep yourself active in between applying for jobs and find ways to diversify your income streams too. Simplify your life and get a bit obsessed with minimalism at the same time. I’ve passed so much time decluttering, and it’s also a nice way to make a few extra bucks selling stuff you don’t need anymore.
And do not forget to get prepared well in advance of even getting called in for an interview. Practice your answers to common interview questions so won’t have to scramble. Trust me, interviewers know when you’re not prepared so don’t blow it!
The Agony Of Waiting At The Hospital
It is so scary when you find out that a loved one has to go into surgery. I can’t even imagine what it feels like when you yourself have to get surgery because that’s never happened to me.
One of the toughest experiences I had to go through was when my father had to get surgery after he was diagnosed with cancer. I had to fly clear across the country to a hospital I’d never been to before, and pray that I wasn’t going to lose my dad to such a horrible disease.
I was fortunate to have my aunt with me to help out and be there for support. It would have been so much harder if I was alone. Her surprise to me though was she didn’t let us wait in the hospital at all! After my dad was checked in and taken to the operating room, she took me on a drive to a nearby local marketplace. At first I thought it was disrespectful and a bit weird to leave the hospital, but it was the perfect distraction we both needed. And it actually made my dad feel more relaxed going into surgery too because he didn’t have to worry about us sitting around waiting for him. The nurses had our mobile numbers, and we were only a couple miles away if we needed to rush back.
Now I know it isn’t always possible to leave the hospital when someone’s in the OR, but surgeries can take a long time. Make sure to find out roughly how long the operation will take beforehand if you find yourself in this situation. And if you have the chance to even just go for a walk to the gift shop or the cafeteria, it’ll really help pass the time.
These are also the times when you should reconcile any differences with family, and reconnect. Have conversations with each other, even if it’s talking about how scared you are. Don’t sit in silence or your thoughts will run away from you.
The Agony Of Waiting For Pregnancy Tests
Ladies, this section is especially for you. At some point in your life you’re going to find yourself standing in the drug store aisle staring at a bunch of pregnancy test boxes and trying really hard not to freak out.
I clearly remember the first time I bought one, and I’ll be totally honest, at that time I wasn’t hoping for a plus sign. I was also praying I wouldn’t run into anyone I knew in the store, and that the lady at the register wouldn’t look at me funny when I checked out.
But even if you want to get pregnant, waiting three minutes for the results of a pregnancy test feels like an eternity. Your entire future could be completely changed by a little plastic stick. Scary. Exciting. Agonizing. Hopeful. It is incredibly emotional.
My advice is obviously don’t get yourself into this situation in the first place if you’re not ready for it. Secondly, if you are trying to get pregnant, give yourself a break. Easier said than done, yes. But don’t get mad if it’s not happening, or think that you’ve “lost another month.”
Your body and mind don’t deserve that type of pressure. Keep a positive mindset and trust fate. Things happen, and don’t happen for a reason. None of it may make sense now, but it will later on when you can look back.
The Agony Of Waiting For Audition Results
I grew up being involved in the fine arts, and as a result I’ve gone through many an audition over the years. Auditioning alone is scary and intimidating, let alone having to wait for the results! Whether you’re performing a theater monologue, singing a song, or sight-reading music you’ve never seen before in front of a panel of judges, you’re going to be nervous. And nerves make it tough to perform at your best.
But when the pressure is high and prize money, scholarships, or ultimately your future is at stake, you work your tail off for those auditions. And if you didn’t put in the time, then sorry you don’t deserve to win!
By best advice is after you walk off the stage, exhale! Allow yourself to feel relieved after your audition is done. Sure you can take mental notes of the places you messed up and the things you forgot to do, but don’t beat yourself up. So many people don’t even try, so please feel proud of yourself for getting up there and trying! This will take some of the agony of waiting off your mind.
Looking back, when I was stuck waiting for results of my performances, I took everything way too seriously. I was so overly critical of the things I did wrong, that I stopped having fun. If the audition results weren’t what I hoped for, I just wanted to give up. Don’t make that mistake. Be open to winning and learning from your failures, and keep having fun!
Untemplaters, how have you coped with the agony of waiting in your life? What was one of the hardest times when you had to wait for something out of your control?
It feels so frustrating to wait for something you are not sure if it is really coming. I always ask myself, “Is it really worth to wait for it?” Rejection should come easy to make the waiting lesser in time. But as you said, it is not easy on the company’s side to reject. Yes I am talking about a job opportunity.
Waiting for someone special is also tiring sometimes. Makes me think, is there really someone for me? When I was a bit younger, I was the person who initiates first. Then it did not work out. I also think that maybe I was cursed? Or maybe I was destined to be single forever. Some say I just to have wait. Until when. Then I go back to the question, “Is it really worth to wait for it?” Because if it will not come, I should just stop waiting.
Waiting is so difficult. What I’ve also realized more and more as time goes by is that we really have to create opportunities and make an effort to bring positive change into our lives. Very rarely will opportunities get handed out for doing nothing. We have to be willing to take risks, try new things, and put ourselves out there.
Don’t forget that fathers are right in there with those pregnancy results as well! I remember how my wife and I would wait eagerly to find out if we were or were not.
For these situations, I just take a few deep breaths and try to concentrate on something else. It will be difficult, but its all you have. The thing you’re waiting for is out of your control, so focus on something you can do something about.
I am not a patient person so waiting is a painful experience. I usually look for ways to speed things up or just ask questions to avoid just waiting. I get particularly irritated with people who say they will call you on a particular day and then they don’t. I call and ask if I missed their call. Sometimes that works!
I can completely agree with audition results as I was a high school and college band kid. I would always wonder how I did and what I messed up until results came out. Luckily it was normally pretty fast and it was just a fun activity as no money was on the line and I didn’t major in music.
I like to meditate and think of falling rain drops in slow motion. During this process, I take extended deep breaths. It helps a lot.
So does playing w/ the iPhone! It’s the best time killer on Earth!
I am super impatient and therefore I absolutely hate waiting. For anything. After an interview, I hate waiting to find out about the job. I hate waiting for lunch during my work day (lol). I hate waiting for big trips. It’s hard work!
oh yes, waiting. My sister is waiting right now to see if she got a job after a “so-so” interview. My wife is waiting on a big exam result. My mom is waiting to see if the school she teaches at will transfer her to another school right before the school year starts. And I’m in a wait for the next 15 years to see if either of my daughters get pregnant when they shouldn’t , do drugs, alcohol, or some other bad thing before they graduate highschool. Waiting is hard. Really hard.
What you said was good though, “Things happen, and don’t happen for a reason.”