Advice on Weathering the "Wait"

[bobbyquefour]

I am no different from many others on here....to me, it is the waiting for all of this to be over without trying to wish my life away. I have about 3 weeks before my 341 meeting and then the 60 day period. How do you guys handle this? It is so hard not to succumb to just worrying all day long. I know I have already come a long way by just filing, but it seems like each step brings on a flood of emotions. I am thinking of trying to exercise more and find other things to do, but what do you guys do during this nerve-wracking time? It is so easy to fall prey to worry.....

[BobMango]

Tomorrow is my last day for objections so I expect to have a discharge in hand sometime this week. In some ways it's gone by very quickly, but in other ways it's been a lifetime.

Seems like the wait from filing to my 341 was the longest. The weeks since then have just ticked by fairly quickly.

Knowing that worrying will not resolve anything, I focused on planning my future. I worked on budgets, cost saving ideas, ways to earn extra money, credit rebuilding strategies, etc. My 341 was quick and painless, no activity since then other than the trustees report and filing proof of post filing counseling.

In all the things that I was worrying about, none of the worst case scenarios came to be. In fact, most things have worked out better than I thought. I've still got about six months before things will really get better in terms of living paycheck to paycheck and having to let some bills slide, but I'm feeling very positive that the worst is behind me and my best and brightest days are still ahead.

[lrprn]

When Ch 7 filers post they are anxious waiting out their 60 days to discharge (and it does feel like it's taking forever, I'm sure), I quietly smile. Take a stroll over to the Ch 13 forum area where the majority of those filers are anxiously waiting out 60 MONTHS to their discharges. Most would give just about anything to have only 60 days to weather until they were done.

60 days vs. 60 months.....hopefully it makes waiting 60 days to have your financial life back again with the unsecured debt slate wiped clean a bit more tolerable.

Hang in there, bobbyquefour - the days will turn into weeks and before you know it, your discharge will be in hand. We'll be celebrating with you when it happens!!

[mtbc]

Partly, I have to keep busy with other things. I have a job, I'm expecting to soon be redundant so I also have job-hunting, I also have two small kids. I also have mundane activities -- for instance, this evening I got our forms B23 ready for filing. In a few days I'll check PACER to check they're correctly recorded.

Three tricks I use for coping more generally --

• I remember that where I am in a few years' time is usually a surprise -- while I may fear the short term, I have to admit that I don't know that in the longer term things won't be peachy.
• I use Zen Buddhist meditation techniques to calm my mind, understand and defuse anxieties, accept the situation, and appreciate the present instead of having my head stuck in the future.
• I consider what the worst-case scenario is, get used to the idea and accept that, sure, maybe things will go that way and I'll just have to readjust my hopes and deal with that, as once I accept the feared situation, it loses its power over me. (Even if it's a long prison term!)

[OhioFiler]

You could always act out Jimmy Buffet's hit "Why Don't We Get Drunk"!

Seriously, I don't see the reason for stressing. What is accomplished by worrying about the 341 meeting and awaiting discharge? Think positive, youll feel better.

[chriselle]

I too worry too much. The days before my 341 were like weeks. I keep on playing with the figures in my schedule j for any objections. I amended 3 times before my 341. During my 341 UST got involved, something positive turned out of my worrying because I was able to answer every question the UST had ON POINT, I have a lawyer but he was like a decoration at the time. I felt like paid someone 1,900 just to sit right next to me. The next 10 days were the worst for me compared to before my 341, waiting for them to Drop the Motion of Presumed abuse. On the 15th day after the 341 I got the Report of no distribution. But in the back of my head I know the UST has 45 more agonizing days that he can drop the AX. we can only hope for the best but prepare for the worst. My sincerest thanks to JustBroke from this forum, he has helped me calm my nerves. If you are reading this post JustBroke, my sincerest thanks. I am not out of the woods yet but if I get lost again, I hope you don't mind me bothering you for answers.