Waiting Is The Hardest Part?

The heater at my house stopped working this morning. I live in Pensacola, FL, which is in the extreme northwest of Florida, and it actually gets cold here in the winter. Well, not all the time but some of the time each year. I mean, I did go paddleboarding twice a couple weeks ago with only board shorts on and actually got sunburned (and it was awesome). But the low was around 30 last night, and it’s supposed to be the same or colder the next couple of nights. So it’s pretty cold right now. I’m at a lovely spot called Constant Coffee now as I write this, and I’m sitting next to the owner’s sister-in-law. She’s from Poland, and it’s three degrees warmer there right now (we just looked it up on our telephones). She thinks that’s messed up. I can’t disagree.

I’m sharing this because I know you really want to know about the heater at my crib. Just kidding. I’m sharing this because I noticed how the mind automatically went into high gear to try to figure it out. It was really going to town! And it was hilarious. All I did was notice this “mental work” and then take a step back and watch it. And when I did, I just sort of smiled because it immediately became apparent that there was really nothing for the mind to do. I mean, this was not rocket science. I’d already flipped the breaker thingy (I’m not very handy) and it didn’t help. And I’d already thought of places to stay for the next night or two if needed. The only thing left to do was text my landlord, which I did. So I just sort of laughed and relaxed. Nothing left for the mind to do.

Is there anything wrong with the mind being overly busy? Not at all! It’s a more stressed out way to live, though, and I’m more into peace. Recall that your body cannot feel the world directly. Your body is hardwired to feel your thinking, 24/7. It’s automatic. So if your body is feeling your thinking, and your mind is darting around being overly active and trying to solve something that it can’t solve, do you think your body will feel relaxed and at peace? Exactly.

In the middle of writing this, I just had a webcam session with a client in another state. This guy. He’s still waiting to hear about a job, and the company is being inexplicably slow in their communication. Meanwhile, he’s waiting to see if he’s going to make a major move that will involve his family. He said Tom Petty said it best: waiting is the hardest part. I said what great timing, and I told him about my mind trying to do something when it just had nothing to do. His mind is in the same boat – there’s just nothing to do at this moment.

So we’re both practicing waiting. And the more we simply notice the mind freaking out and then just step back and smile at the whole thing, it becomes less and less of a big deal. It’s nothing more than an old habit, and it’s on the way out. And after some practice, waiting just isn’t the hardest part anymore. Now I feel like jamming out to some Tom Petty. But I’m in a coffee shop. Hmm… Let me see if there are some errands to run. Good thing I have tinted windows, too, for some nice car singing.