I’m not the most patient person in the world. I struggle to want things to happen quickly. Whether it’s driving in city traffic or simplifying my living space, I want to be there now! But it’s not just me. “Hurry up,” seems to be an American mantra.
We’ve all been there. We want to get somewhere fast, but we wind up stuck in traffic. Or we want to get a project done around our home. We rush into it and wind up buying a bunch of stuff. But we never complete the project. All because we wanted instant gratification. We are an impatient people.
My Own Struggles With Jumping Into Things
Sometimes I get an idea and I want it to happen now! I started building a video studio in late 2016. I bought more equipment than I really needed. Then I hesitated to use it. I didn’t think it through and just started diving into it. Now I’ve got a cluttered music/video studio.
I have a folding architectural desk and a drafting kit that I bought about six years ago because I was excited to design a tiny house. Then I thought about it. I don’t think I’d ever really want to live in a home under 500 sq. ft. Plus, I’m not an architect. I’ve never designed anything.
My music room has more musical instruments than I really need. I get excited to learn something new. But then I wind up gravitating back toward my acoustic guitar. The new instrument goes untouched for long periods of time until I finally decide to let it go.
I know I’m not the only one who gets excited about new projects. But jumping into things like this is a form of impatience. I get an idea and I want it now! Hurry up already! And that’s how we wind up with stuff we don’t really need.
We’d Be Better To Hurry Up And Wait
You’ve heard the saying, “hurry up and wait.” It’s not bad advice. Instead of jumping into things, try these simple steps:
- Write down what it is you want and why.
- Include a list of all the products you’ll need.
- Include a list of pros and cons for doing the project.
- Wait two weeks.
- Review your list and reconsider the project.
If I took these steps every time I got excited about something new, I’d likely have a lot less stuff. These steps would allow me time to process the information and come to a more thoughtful decision. I could have saved myself a lot of trips to Goodwill, too.
Impatience Leads To Excess
Next time you want something now, stop! Take a deep breath. Think it through. Do you really need this thing? Will you really complete the project?
If you really want to live with less stuff, you have to buy less stuff. That means you have to be intentional about what you do buy. Don’t live by the “hurry up already” mentality. Slow down. Take your time. Things will happen as they will. Your job is to stay in control of your actions.
I invite you to join me on a journey back home. In my new book, Finding Our Way Back Home: Reclaiming A Sense Of Peace In A Chaotic World, I thoughtfully consider the concept of home. Then I consider the things that cause us distraction from having a peaceful home. Finally, I offer 9 ways to find peace in the home.
If you’d like to find more peace at home and help Hip Diggs at the same time, I encourage you to buy your copy today. Just click the link below to get started:
