Patience

If you’re anything like me, you saw the title of this post and thought, “I don’t want to read that,” or maybe even, “I don’t have time to read that.” If you had a similar reaction, this post is for you. 

We’ve all heard that “patience is a virtue” but it’s also really, really good for you. Here are some benefits: 

• Patience increases your mental health by helping you feel more satisfied with your life. 
• Patience in the face of boring, monotonous situations helps you feel more hopeful and less frustrated.
• Patience makes us more “agreeable” which in turn makes us better friends and neighbors.
• Patience helps us reach our goals.
• Patience increases our physical health by decreasing the chance of illnesses like “headaches, acne flare-ups, ulcers, diarrhea, and pneumonia.”

You probably already guessed patience helps with many of these things, but I was still pleasantly surprised to see there were so many scientific studies to back it up. 

So, where do we even begin when we want to start being more patient? 

The first step is to be more aware of when you’re being reactionary to situations and try to let go of the frustration building up inside you. 

For example, someone is telling you a long story and you’ve tried several verbal cues to tell them to wrap it up (like saying “That’s crazy” at least 5x, probably more). When you notice yourself getting impatient, take a deep breath and exhale to release the frustration. Recognize that this person is sharing something in an effort to connect with you, and that’s pretty cool.

Or maybe you’re stuck in traffic, behind a slow walker, or in a line that just won’t move. Again, take a deep breath, exhale the frustration and accept that being impatient isn’t going to make this situation move any faster. Acknowledge instead of react. 

You can also practice being patient with yourself, then apply those same principles to dealing with other people and life situations. 

I often think about one instance where I saw my sister exhibit incredible patience. My niece was crying in her highchair and we couldn’t figure out what she wanted. Instead of getting frustrated, my sister took a deep breath, smiled at her daughter and said, “I love you so much.” And just like that, my niece calmed down. 

What if we treated ourselves and others like that when we get impatient? How much more inner peace and health benefits could we reap simply by acknowledging the situation rather than reacting? 

The good (and maybe bad) news is that we have LOTS of opportunities to practice patience throughout the day. So the next time you feel the wave of impatience building, stop yourself, take a deep breath, and let it go before doing or saying anything from a place of impatience. Each time you do that, you’ll make yourself a little bit better. 

What are some other ways that help you exhibit patience?

With gratitude, 

Natalie