Most people believe that waiting is a waste of time and it’s best to fill that time with something…anything. Whether we’re in line at a the grocery story, waiting at a doctor’s office, or sitting at a stoplight, the brain seems to be cued to fill that space. Nowadays, many of us pull out our phones and begin sifting through various messages, reading over documents, or surfing the web.
However, the belief that waiting has no value is mistaken. In fact, the secret to a sense of personal control, general satisfaction with life, and even success lies in learning how to make peace with waiting.
We’ve all heard the famous adage, “Patience is a virtue” or “Good things come to those who wait.”
Easier said than done. Why?
We’re not in control of our brainsUnderneath the subtle yet intolerable experience of waiting is a little anxious gremlin that fears being alone. This gremlin is operating on old software that says if you’re alone that means you’re not being protected by your clan and it’s a threat to your safety. In those small moments of waiting, the gremlin takes the controls of your brain and reaches for something to “be…
