Daryl Wood's Blog

Many years ago I purchased the book A Course In Miracles (ACIM). I’d heard about it from many friends and read Marianne Williamson’s summary in A Return To Love. I only got through 25 pages when I realized this was a tougher read requiring more focus. What was a blessing is that I started hearing quotes from the book in other material. (That’s the law of attraction and confirmation bias at work!)

Wayne Dyer quoted from ACIM “Those who are certain of the outcome can afford to wait, and to wait without anxiety.” I loved that because I have a worn out childhood story about waiting and have forever told people I am not a good waiter. As is the case with all life lessons, the more I said it, the more times I was forced to wait. In the TED* work, we call this the space of Dynamic Tension. My training had taught me that taking small Baby Steps while I focused on my desired outcome I would keep building my resilience and move closer to my vision. Unfortunately, I had a historical habit of feeling the discomfort and sometimes painful emotions of waiting and would jump wildly around trying to either fix, eliminate or build on the negativity. That never worked out well for me or the others around me who had to endure my angst.

During my beloved Doug’s medical treatments I faced a mountain of waiting. It felt like being in our small boat under the looming rock of the Niagara Escarpment on Georgian Bay. How would I ever scale that rugged coastline? How would I ever endure hours of hospital and clinic waiting rooms? How would I wait for test results, next appointments and most importantly good results?

I’ve heard it said that it’s what you do while you wait that is the key. And that, my friends, is exactly what ACIM is saying and what I knew with certainty from my TED* training. Waiting without anxiety.

I am such a lover of quotes (my own and from others) and on this topic people hear me saying “Everything works out. Everything. Maybe not the way you want it to but everything does eventually work out.” And one of my friends’ favourites “Well, if worrying about it would help I’ll come right over and worry with you.”

Thankfully I am much better at waiting because I use the tools I have to navigate. I do breathing exercises, change my thoughts, journal, walk, sing, do some chore that’s quick and satisfying, etc. I’m not perfect at this. For example, as I wait for a much anticipated call later this morning I am doing most of the things I know help me. Yes, I did send off a brief text to my sister so now she can be engaged in the dance of worry with me if she chooses. That’s my one concession this morning to the old way of dealing with waiting and ‘outing’ myself here is the best way to remember to use the wisdom I have instead of having a fear response.

Am I certain of the outcome? No, not at all. What I am certain of is that no matter what the outcome is, I can and will handle it. Now that is empowerment!