Sometimes when I am talking to people about their Big Dream Journey, they are so frustrated, they want it NOW NOW NOW! I can certainly appreciate that sentiment. I am horribly impatient by nature, and although technology issues have taught be to be a little more patient (when the computer freezes, the only thing that works is patience…impatience just breaks it some more, trust me on this!) I can still think ‘come on, come ON’ at times.
Here’s the problem: Impatience and frustration do not get you closer to where you want to go. (I know this, I’ve tried impatiently and frustratedly…and it doesn’t work!) In fact, they get you further away (I know this too, I’ve experimented at some length…and it definitely takes you further away from what you want!). Now, you may know that my September Daily Practice is ‘Feeling How You Feel’, so I am not going to ask you to *not* feel impatient or frustrated.
That would also not work. You feel frustrated and impatient, that is just how you feel! Feel it, write it, move it, sing it, dance it. Then USE it. Over the past year or so, I’ve realised something about impatience and frustration…they tend to show me when I’m just sitting back and waiting for something to happen, giving away my power to someone or something ‘out there’ that isn’t giving me what I want. Impatience and frustration tend to point to something I am not doing.
And I mean specifically something I am not doing. Not just a generalised “I’m not doing enough” – because usually I am filling my time with busy work – but a specific thing I am not working on. For me, it’s usually new products and services – I spend a lot of time doing articles, blogs, podcasts, videos…and sometimes I let these marketing activities take the place of money-making activities. Frustrating…and makes me impatient for when my business sky-rockets! (which I know is close, by the way – you’ll be able to say ‘I knew her when…’!)
I need to allow myself to feel how I feel, and express it. My Morning Pages practice normally helps me to express this frustration and impatience (if you read them some days, you’d laugh at how petty, whiny, moany and cross I can be! Oh yeah, I’m super positive and all that…except for the days when I’m pissed off and frustrated and angry and wondering why I bother – who doesn’t have those days?!). Once I’ve expressed that frustration and impatience, I start to ask myself what I could do that would make a difference to how I feel.
As I say, usually for me it’s because I’m not working on new products and services – things that will bring in money. So, I clear time to work on that for a while…and the frustration and impatience grudgingly and grumblingly get back in their box…until the next time I need them to kick my butt and say ‘hey, there’s something YOU are not doing here’ – not to punish me or get down on me, but just to point it out. I’m working on getting them to do that without pissing me off…but until I spot the signs of too much busy-work earlier, it’s Mr Frustrated and Little Miss Impatient’s job to rap me over the head with a wooden spoon (metaphorically) and tell me to change my focus!
There’s a choice here. You can either ‘just’ feel impatient and frustrated and angry and down on yourself and like you are not getting anywhere, OR you can USE that feeling. Find out what it is telling you. Find out the positive intention of that feeling. Find out how it can help you and serve you and use it to get closer to your Big Dream instead of further away. It’s there already, right? Might as well get some good stuff out of it!
What are your frustration and impatience telling you? Let them talk – write all that frustrated, angry, aaaaaaaaargh shit down. (don’t take them too seriously, they’re just frustrated and impatient! Seriously, don’t let them make you feel bad, just let them vent.) Once they’ve finished ranting, er, venting, ask them what they want you to focus on to make them feel ok. Go do that. Want to share your thoughts on this article? Leave a comment below.
Love
Donna.x
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14 responses to “I WANT IT NOW!”
Lol – thought it would hit a chord for you! Mwah! xx
Ha ha – hmmm how true tra la la la la la la la laaarrr. Love it and you! Cheers me dears 🙂 xx
Thanks Gaelach – sorry for taking so long to reply – your post got caught in my spam filter for some reason.
Hope your frustration and impatience have shared their wisdom with you and you’re well on your way! xx
Yes! That’s so true! When something isn’t working, I often stop and write for a few minutes, and magically, the solution appears! If I’d go straight to the Morning Pages in the start, I’d save myself hours! Lol. x
That’s so true Tanja – it’s learning that balance between desire and appreciation…and when you get it right, ironically, things speed up! Lol. x
This is totally where I’m at right now! I’ve been tearing my hair out in frustration over not going anywhere only to realize it’s because I haven’t been doing anything productive!
Isn’t it funny how such ‘negative’ feelings as frustration and impatience often have such wonderful things to teach us?
Much love,
Gaelach
I remember when I started on my journey, Donna, I was exactly like this: impatient to be *there* *NOW* damnit!
I’ve learned along the way that it’s great to know where I want to go, but it’s just as important – if not more so – to enjoy and be grateful for where I am now, and to do my best to enjoy as much of the journey as possible.
That’s just as true of my business as it is with my health, my relationships and my spirituality!
Blessings
TANJA
That’s one of the things I love the most about my morning pages – its the fastest way I’ve found to figure out that some thing is off kilter, and what I want to do about it. On days I think that I don’t have the time to do them I remind myself how much time I’d be wasting if I didn’t have that information!
Thanks Jodi! xxx
I love this post! I love that you address something that we all feel – that feeling of wanting our lives to be the way we want them to be right now! But what I love even more is that you help us channel that energy and frustration into something positive. Thank you! 🙂
Lol – so glad I left that line about the wooden spoon in! I was so tempted to be sensible and take it out, but I’m glad it hit the spot! Love you back sweetie! xxx
Your comment made me laugh Samantha – I don’t believe ANYONE is all Zen all the time (well, I’ve never met anyone who is anyway). That may be the face they present to the world, but the reality is we’re all human, we all have the same shit to scoop as it were. Ah hem! Lol. Thanks for sharing your thoughts too. x xx
Oh yeah Donna I SO know this. It’s really good to hear someone else share that they too deal with the same kind of stuff coming up!!! Someone else who’s not all Zen all of the time. And I agree …it often points to a lack of specific doing, or I find a need in me that’s going unmet …often attached to my sense of worth. Oh, not to be alone with this. Thanks for sharing!
An enormous YES!! Thank you, thank you thank youOO!!! This is exactly what I needed to hear right now. Wise words of wisdom, conking me over the head with your wooden spoon! I love it! And so much thanks & a big loving hug and I love you!