The In Between.

The blinking cursor.

The sound of the turn signal.

The tenth glance down at the watch.

…the wait during the in between...

The In Between is that preciously difficult period of the decision to start and the waiting that ensues for the outcome of that decision. In our careers, it’s often the space between deciding to make a career change and actually arriving at the next opportunity.

Do you even notice waiting anymore in the 21st century? The activity of the wait seems both forever and non-existent.

Think about… 

the time you were waiting on the answer from test results in the doctor’s office (It’s taking “forever…”)

vs.

the time you waited for your food order to arrive (That was fast…)

When something can occupy our time, we’re less focused on the fact that time is passing. How we spend that time has a great impact on the “feeling and length” of the In Between.

Professionally, I was fortunate to have things progress rather quickly and fluidly in my career. Personally, not the same story at all, which means I should be a master at “waiting well.”

In truth, I’m a work in progress like most everyone, but I’ll share my insights.

While waiting for the outcome:

Look Up

Many times we’re so focused on that next finite detail that we forget it’s a lifetime race, not a one year sprint. With age comes wisdom and an ability to see that each perceived challenge at the time is just a blip on the radar of a long life. Don’t lose sight of the fact you are here for a reason and you have a purpose and a plan on your life.

Help Someone

This gets you out of your own headspace and there is always a return on investment. Not only will you feel better because you have used your natural gifts & talents, but the recipient is helped and maybe is no longer waiting themselves because you stepped in or stepped up! 

Breathe

Are you even conscious of your breath? It’s necessary for living and during times of anxiousness, which the In Between can produce, we may have a tendency to hold it. Breathe in and breathe out and remember that God gives you breath. Did you know “ruach” is the Hebrew word for “breath, wind, spirit, or life force that sustains all living things,” and when it’s pronounced it both sides like and produces breath. Pretty cool. 

Remember

You started the journey for a reason. This is also not the first time you have had to face the active part of waiting. Take some time to write down when a waiting period happened and what was produced out of that. Simply acknowledging both how far you have come and the fresh perspective you gained helps in the current waiting period.

Hope

Hope is also a verb. In all those catch-phrase sayings that appear on walls, placed on journal covers, or wood signs for the home, do not forget that hope is an activity that should accompany the action of waiting. It is actually in our human nature to find fresh cause for optimism.

Now, what are you going to do while you wait?