Don’t Wait: Don’t Wait: Letting Go of “Someday”
- Deborah Ann Martin
- Feb 7
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 31
When Life Keeps Getting Put on Hold
“Someday” sounds hopeful, but it can quietly become a hiding place. It carries good intentions and postponed dreams, wrapped in the belief that there will be a better time later, later when things calm down, later when you feel more confident, later when life is less complicated.
If you’ve been telling yourself “someday,” it doesn’t mean you don’t care. It usually means you’ve been overwhelmed, cautious, or trying to survive what’s already on your plate.
But life lived on hold slowly becomes a life half-lived.
Why “Someday” Feels So Safe
Someday protects you from risk. It allows you to:
Avoid disappointment
Delay hard decisions
Stay in familiar routines
Feel hopeful without acting
It keeps the possibility alive without requiring movement, a comforting illusion when you’re already stretched thin.
How “Someday” Turns Into Avoidance
Over time, “someday” can quietly turn into avoidance.
You may notice:
The same goals resurface year after year
A sense of restlessness or regret
Feeling behind without knowing why
Watching others move forward while you wait
Avoidance doesn’t mean laziness. It often stems from fear, fatigue, or uncertainty.
Fear Often Lives Inside “Someday”
Someday often carries unspoken fears, like:
Fear of failing
Fear of being seen trying
Fear of making the wrong choice
Fear of discovering you can’t do it
Waiting feels safer than risking disappointment. But safety can also become stagnation.
Letting Go of “Someday” Doesn’t Mean Doing Everything Now
Releasing someday does not mean rushing or overwhelming yourself. It means shifting from:
“Someday I will”
to
“What can I do now, gently?”
You don’t have to do everything. You only have to do something.
Today Is the Only Time You Actually Have
Someday lives in the future. Change happens in the present.
Even small choices made today shape your future more than perfect plans for later.
Choosing “Now” in Small Ways
Choosing now doesn’t require dramatic action. It might look like:
Taking one step
Making one decision
Starting imperfectly
Saying yes to what matters
Saying no to what delays you
Small acts of now weaken the hold of someday.
You Don’t Have to Feel Ready to Stop Waiting
Readiness is often the excuse “someday” uses to stay in place. You don’t need:
Confidence
Certainty
Motivation
You need willingness, which opens the door that someday keeps closed.
Letting Go of Guilt Around Time Lost
Many people feel guilty when they realize how long they’ve waited.
Guilt keeps you stuck in the past. Compassion brings you back to now. You did what you could with what you had. That matters.
Your Life Is Happening Now
This moment counts. This version of you counts. This step counts.
You don’t need to wait for a different season to begin living more fully.
Someday Can Become Today
Letting go of someday isn’t about pressure, it’s about permission:
Permission to start where you are
Permission to move imperfectly
Permission to live now
Journal Prompts
What have I been telling myself I’ll do “someday”?
What fears are connected to waiting?
How does waiting affect how I feel about my life?
What is one small thing I could choose today instead of someday?
You're Not Alone
Someday has a way of keeping us stuck longer than we realize. If you are tired of putting life on hold, do not wait for the perfect time to start. Today is enough.
You can:
• Join one of our Self-Discovery community groups
• Explore Next Step Coaching for structured guidance
• Connect through Neighbor Chat to talk through your next step
Give yourself a place to turn intentions into simple, doable steps. What you keep postponing deserves a chance today.
Still waiting on someday? Do not wait. Let go of someday and take one step today with the journal.
About the Author:
Deborah Ann Martin is the founder of Surviving Life Lessons, a published author, poet, speaker, and trainer with over 20 years of management experience across multiple industries. An MBA graduate, U.S. veteran, single mother, and rare cancer survivor, Deborah brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her writing on resilience, leadership, personal growth, and overcoming adversity. Her mission is to empower others with practical wisdom and real-life insight to navigate life’s challenges with strength and purpose.
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