Are We There Yet? The Art of Timing

A few fortunate beings on this planet have an innate ability to know when to act and when to wait. Many others are like the child in the back seat of the car with whisperings of "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?" as little Susie kicks the back of your seat to a beat only she can hear, only to ask more insistently five minutes later when a whisper becomes a shout and then a shout becomes a whining plea of "Are we there yet?"  

Most parents will start with a patient, "No, not yet" but as you up the ante may soon come back with a frazzled, "Does it look like we're there yet?!" Not to be outdone, the child now recruits her siblings in a chorus of "Are we there yet?" to which the only decent reply is, "Who wants to play the quiet game?" and suddenly the parent is not above bribing their dearest offsprings with a monetary reward for who can stay silent the longest.  

Not only is there unreasonable expectations about the destination itself, and God forbid it doesn't meet our ideas of where we are supposed to be, but there is a whole lot of disillusionment about how long or short it should take us to get there, wherever that may be, whether it be a physical destination or a goal.  

Now add timing into the mix.  If timing is everything then when do you act and when do you wait?  I, myself, have certainly had times when I have pushed, pulled, stood on my head, did back flips, and nothing has come of it, except the thumping of my own head from banging it against a wall (silly me), until one day it happened on its own accord with no assistance from me at all.  

On the other hand, there have been times when I felt as if I was procrastinating only to find that the timing couldn't have been better.  It was as if the stars had aligned perfectly for my very own benefit! What gives?  How do we know the difference?  How do we know when to take action and when to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride?

In photography, especially with action photos or images dealing with people or animals, if you hesitate, you miss the shot.  A person may have walked in or out of the frame, the perfect expression was suddenly replaced with a frown, or any number of things varying from subtle to very obvious can happen. I expect this is much like life.  

If we get a nudge to act on something and we sit on it, we may lose it or it may change in some way. This is not to say the opportunity may not come again or that it may not come in another disguise, but why take the chance?

Is it always going to be appropriate to act immediately?  Maybe not so perhaps it comes down to intuition and discrimination.  Experience will teach us better.  If we missed it one time, we may gain it another and so on and on it goes.  Besides, who says you won't gain something better by taking that detour?

What does this all have to do with photography and your Etsy business or with any business? Many of us give up before we begin.  We have a few false starts or nothing seems to be working so we sit back and wait when we need to take another step.  Or we take many more steps when a little patience may have gone a long way.  

Sometimes we have to do all we can do and then let go of our ideas of how it's supposed to go.  We have to leave room for God or the Universe or whatever or whomever you believe in to do Its part and if you think it's going to come easy, well, you may want to reconsider.  It may but chances are it's another way for the universe to see how serious you are about attaining whatever goal you are striving for.  

In the end, everything is in its rightful place.  It just may be different from where you thought so if there is something you can do and it feels right then act.  If not wait but whatever you decide, don't give up!  

"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out."  - Robert Collier

Be flexible!  Allow for transformation.  There may be a worthier plan than the one you have in mind but if you are too attached to what your own vision may be, there won't be any room for anything else and you might miss out on something better.

Lastly when in doubt, take it moment to moment, love what you do and do what you love because as Elizabeth Kubler-Ross says, “It is only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth – and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up – that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had.” 

Remember, there is always another mountain to climb, another level to go so listen.

What to Do When You Don't Know What to Do

So you think you are stuck, huh?  By definition is that even truly possible?  Even if you were in quicksand, a downward pull would keep you in motion; of course, that may not be the direction we were hoping for.

MacMillan Dictionary defines "stuck" as:  "caught or held in a position so that you cannot move; unable to solve a problem and keep on moving; in a situation that you do not like but cannot avoid; forced to have, use, or deal with someone or something that you do not want."  (I particularly enjoyed that last definition.)

We don't live here anymore.  I'm sure there's a more peaceful way to handle it.

"Forced" is a mighty strong word and, unless held by gunpoint like in the Old Wild, Wild West, I'm not quite sure I would agree. For me it robs us of the right of choice and the responsibility of said
choices.  There are always possibilities, even in what appears to be a disagreeable situation. Unlimited potential abound if one is in the right frame of mind and heart to see it!

For instance in this example of "forced," an attempt to run away or hide could be made or perhaps to fight back.  Well, you see what I'm saying...  Not wishing anything of the sort on anyone else, myself included, but to point out another perspective, only one of many.

Is it possible that the feeling of being "stuck" is only the inability to take action at that time, either as a form of procrastination or fear, or because the next step has not yet appeared to the conscious mind? If so how do you move beyond the inertia and into a place of more potentiality?  Is it merely making the resolution to proceed with what is already in place or to confidently step into a larger room?  

The answers are unlimited, and I am allowing for them but cannot yet share them as they have not formulated enough for me to do so.  Is there a technique that would aide us on that journey?

In the book, "The Spiritual Exercises of ECK," (ECK is simply another name for Holy Spirit), there are many exercises given.  This simple, easy to understand book can be used by anyone who would like to conquer fear, to learn how to use their imagination properly, tame their mind and emotions, and to master their fate, to name a few.

In this particular technique (not in the book but has been adapted from a similar exercise), imagine yourself in a small room.  Walk around the room in a circle.  As you do, you notice a doorway with golden light shining through it, walk through it.  Walk confidently into a larger space.  In this area, there is a big, blue, comfortable chair.

A guide (you can choose one you are familiar with: Jesus, Buddha, or any Master who you feel helps or guides you...it doesn't even have to be a religious figure) appears and invites you to sit in it. He or she is seated across from you and a consultation begins. You may ask, "What is my next step?" or "How can I overcome this obstacle?" or whatever comes to mind. Listen as you are given a more expansive view.

Afterwards do not question what has been given, unless of course it is harmful, just absorb it and then you can decide if it is worthy to act on.  This is one way of moving beyond fear and inertia. Numerous others can be designed to suit your situation.  Use your creativity and play with it; make it your own.  Having fun is key!