This past January, I made a fresh commitment to send out an email filled with rich content every week to all of my newsletter subscribers, sent on Sundays ideally based on the preferred feedback I received. I sat down at my desk to write this email at least four different times this week. The email may go out on Sunday mornings, but I try to not do any business on Sundays so it usually is written in advance, and scheduled for inbox delivery on my day off.

But each time I tried to write it in advance this week, I was either entirely unhappy with the content, or with my ability to produce any content at all, where I would instead just stare at a blank, blinking cursor. And here it was, Sunday morning, still nothing scheduled, and I knew I needed to get something written to honor my commitment.

Even this morning, I pounded on the backspace more than any other key. Although it causes me frustration in my schedule as someone who likes to accomplish what she sets out to get done in a day…that nagging feeling of not having it quite right most usually means that there is something deeper to be said, should I just listen and make room for the honesty. So much so, that I decided to share the email here on the blog, something I don’t normally do.

Ironically it’s February 14th…Valentine’s Day. Being single and without children, it’s a holiday I don’t really take notice of. My Mom still sends me a box of chocolates ( it’s the sweetest and I love it ), and so in “celebration” – I usually find myself eating a handful of said chocolates alongside my favorite sushi takeout, watch at least one Bradley Cooper film, let myself grumble about the never ending season of waiting, and then Valentine’s is over.

“Surely I should not be the one to write to my email subscribers about this holiday“… I thought to myself more than once.

But in the beat of the backspace, I got to thinking. What about everyone else? What are THEY waiting for?

I ask you this morning as you glance over this blog post, sizing it up on whether to continue reading..what does your own season of waiting look like?

Is it the day you can walk into that office and give your notice because your business can finally afford to make you full time?

Is it the day you turn your very own key, into your very own door, to walk into your very own forever house?

Is it that first inquiry from your ideal client who truly values the work you do or the service you offer, and is choosing YOU and YOUR business over any else’s?

Is it the sound of little feet hopping out of bed in the morning and crawling into yours?

Is it an invitation to teach at a big conference and the recognition that YOU have something meaningful to share with your industry?

Is it the day your husband can finally work from home WITH you in the business, so you aren’t spending so many days apart? Or the day HIS business can take root and he can live his entrepreneur dream too?

If there is one thing I have learned about waiting, no matter what the wait is actually for, it’s that the time spent IN the waiting is not to be wasted.

If you are waiting on the day you can stop balancing your day job and your dream job, ask yourself what part of your business isn’t ready? And how can the time be spent to get it there? Because truthfully, that day job is funding your dream right now. So yes, it may feel completely frustrating to miss out on the conferences and workshops that all the “cool kids” get to attend every single time, while yet again you can’t ask for more vacation time. But remember that every day spent at that full time job is GETTING YOU CLOSER. Take advantage of not having that pressure of living off your business income. You have the ability to take big risks, try new things, and make certain investments that you may not be able to as soon as you leave that day job. Your waiting can be a GOOD place to be. 

Are you waiting on that invitation to teach? To be seen? Heard? Recognized? I would say to evaluate how you handle your platform of three, before asking for a platform in front of hundreds. Are you sharing with a genuine heart on the stage you already have? Are you devoted to seeing those three succeed, or are you constantly looking over their heads- and waiting for more people to show up? Your waiting can be a GOOD place to be. 

If you are waiting on that house to call your forever home, keep saving! I find myself at times feeling impatient about living in an apartment in my 30’s- but then something will happen like my refrigerator deciding to die- and guess who didn’t have to pay for the replacement? Or pay for someone to plow the driveway after a snowstorm? Or worry about my property taxes increasing?  Your waiting can be a GOOD place to be. 

If you are waiting on the first email from an incredible inquiry, ask yourself, am I ready? I used to feel frustrated that everyone else seemed to be booking these amazing clients left and right, and I was hearing crickets. So I started asking myself, if I could photograph anyone in the world tomorrow who would it be? And then I pictured that person, pulling up my website, reading every word, looking carefully at every image in my portfolio, sending me their inquiry- and asked myself- am I ready to work with this ideal client? Is everything about my client experience as professional as it needs to be? Is it branded and beautiful? Will I be able to create the quality of photographs that they are expecting me to? And you know what? That simple exercise was a game changer for the amount of detail I started paying attention to. I stopped complaining that they weren’t inquiring, and I started getting ready for them anyway. I practiced my craft. I invested in professional platforms. I hired a lawyer for my contracts. And now, when they inquire, I am more than ready. Your waiting can be a GOOD place to be. 

Are you waiting for little feet and a family of your own? Me too. But the waiting isn’t wasted time. I work with mothers in my business who teach me so much about what it means to love someone more than yourself. I watch my friends and their children and I learn about the sacrifices they make to always protect their little hearts. I learn from them, and take notice, rather then envy. I dig my own spiritual well deeper, so I will have strength to draw from for when it is my turn, and I won’t remember the last time I got a full night’s sleep, or a day to spend by myself- something I gratefully get now whenever I want. My identity, and knowing who I am, can be strengthened everyday in the Lord, so I can be the very best mother when it’s time and the waiting is over.

You see, I think maybe we all could use a little reminding that Your waiting can be a GOOD place to be.

It may be cliche to say that it’s not all about the destination- but I think it may be cliche simply because it’s true. There are such good, good things in the waiting if we look for them. If we make ourselves open to it, if we stop looking at what everyone else has for just one second, and begin to realize just how blessed we really are in what we have now.

I just wanted to share with you my heart this morning. And to say, let’s make the most of the waiting. Perspective… can really be a powerful thing. 

 

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