Learning How to Wait
In a world of instant gratification, NOW is the norm.
Birthday girl can't wait to taste her cake. Source: Photo by author.
We are living in a world of instant gratification, instant publication, and instant notifications. Now, now, now… WHAT IS TAKING SO LONG?! This culture of nowness has implications for online content creators and entire generations of children inundated with a sense of urgency. Countless self-care practices and anti-anxiety strategies are aimed at slowing down and combating the instant gratification mentality.
Medium.com screenshot by author.
Content creation
Whether sharing on Steemit, publishing on Medium or posting on Instagram, content creators are advised to share work strategically, at a time when audiences are most likely to view and engage. Choosing "schedule for later" on Medium to maximize audience exposure sounds like a good idea... Until I finally finish editing and realize I don't want to wait. I crave the satisfaction of hitting the "publish now" button. I want my audience to start viewing my story immediately.
Similarly, after typing the maximum thirty hashtags on my post, I want the instant instagram experience. Forget strategizing and trying to figure out what time or which weekday is best. I want my YouTube video to go viral in the first thirty minutes. Even Amazon Prime two-day shipping isn't fast enough for rabid consumers. Hence the addition of 1–2 hour delivery with Amazon Prime Now. I'm practicing setting an intention to slow down when I feel the stress of this urgent culture affecting me.
Published on paper. Source: Photo by author.
Publishing
As a writer in days gone by I may have typed my story on a manual typewriter, passed it to an editor, and waited a week to see it in print. Only when the newspaper or magazine was published on paper would I feel the satisfaction of completion. This would have been the norm. In today's world of writing I've only had a similar experience once. This summer I submitted an article to a local magazine editor via email and waited over a month to get a physical copy (photo above). Meanwhile I had published dozens of stories online.
Since much of the content readers consume today is online, writers can instantly share words with audiences around the world. Knowing this, I want to hit that "publish now" button without delay. And it doesn't end there. It's hard to wait for upvotes, comments, likes, claps and shares. It's hard to wait for new fans to fall for me and hit that "follow" button. I want an authentic, organic following and I want it now. I want to go from two hundred to ten thousand followers now. I want it all and I want it NOW! Whew… breathe in, breathe out, reset.
Waiting for coffee to drip. Source: Photo by author.
The next generation
As an educator and nanny I often notice children aren't learning how to wait. The culture of nowness they are immersed in doesn't model patience. Afterall, if adults can't wait for gratification, how can children be expected to? Although I strongly believe in the importance of modeling patience for children, I also empathize with them. It is hard to wait regardless of age. Waiting for coffee to drip into my mug feels like a meditation challenge.
The thing is, people often describe me as an exceptionally patient person. How can that be? When it comes to interpersonal situations, especially with children, I can model and even exude incredible amounts of patience. I know that about myself. Parents have witnessed this with awe. I can wait all day for a toddler to calm after a tantrum or to put on their own shoe. I can offer my friends and family patience and compassion. Why is it so much harder to be patient with myself?
Reading at the cabin. Source: Photo by author.
Practicing patience
Taking time for self-care and learning to offer myself the compassion I so freely give others is a practice. Some days I move forward, some days I fall back, and some days I don't even have the energy to practice. I do my best to "get away from it all" periodically, whether it's renting a cabin on Lake Superior or cycling to a local park. In this culture of insta-this and insta-that, patience is rarely exemplified. It's take practice, and I believe it's a necessary practice, for ourselves and for the next generation. We are their role models, and modeling patience is vital.
mininthecity is the pseudonym of a writer who is passionate about sustainable living, cycling, and the next generation of all living things. She primarily writes personal stories with insights about human development, travel, sustainable living, education, nutrition, nature, mental health, and more. Sharing words and photographs as an entrepreneur is her dream lifestyle. mininthecity rides through the world on two wheels.
