Take a guess what’s happening to many of us in an on-demand world. Do you have the answer yet? If you said to yourself that we’re less patient as a society, you would be correct. Unfortunately, when we have everything “now” and “on demand,” we quickly start to believe that everything has to be that way. But life isn’t like that. And, so it’s one of the reasons why we see so much disharmony on social media. It’s why we see incidences of road rage and anger between people for the smallest slight. And, it’s why you can see people fuming where there is a hint of a delay—about anything. That said, the power of patience is essential. So, if you lack patience, there’s good news for you. You can get that muscle memory back and develop patient tolerance for a better life.
What are the benefits of the power of patience, you may ask? Well, there are a couple of excellent benefits of patience. In a 2007 study, two professors found that people who valued patience experienced less depression and had more socially positive emotions. For instance, qualities such as compassion, kindness, and consideration are all hallmarks of patience. Also, researchers have found that the power of patience also affords those who practice it more happiness. In short, patience makes us better people.
Here’s the thing with patience. Even if many of us have gotten to a place where we expect everything happens on our schedule, and as we want it, we can become more patient. We can live a better and healthier life, by developing the skills of patience.
1. The Power of Patience Begins with Awareness
If you want to learn about the importance of patience in your life, the first place to begin is with awareness. In other words, as you go through your day, and you have moments of impatience with yourself or others, make a note of it. Patience is part of our “fight or flight” response. More accurately, it’s a “fight” response to a perceived threat. So, to understand the power of patience, you first have to understand what triggers within you that response. Meaning, as you go about your day, learn the moments that bring up the impatience within you. The first step in change is always awareness and mindfulness.
2. Practice the Art of Waiting
Next, you want to build muscle memory within yourself for patience. So, as with anything in life, practice makes perfect. Start to make yourself wait for things. By practicing waiting, you’re doing the work to unlock the power of patience within your own life. For example, you can start each day by not reaching out for your phone the moment your eyes open in the morning. Instead, enjoy a few moments in bed, silently reflecting on how you envision a good day. Michael Phelps became an Olympic champion by visualizing every single swim ahead of time. Instead of rushing to get started on the day, be patient. Avoid electronics and picture a good day ahead of you.
3. Slow Down to Develop the Power of Patience
We all know there’s a lot of noise everywhere. We live in a reality that throws continual noise at us and demands that we pay attention to every shiny new thing. Paying attention to everything makes us impatient. There are two ways you can slow things down in your life to prioritize the importance of patience within it. First, you can try meditation, such as the Lion Mind Meditation. Unlike a dog that chases everything, a lion patiently waits. He is not distracted from what he wants when presented with shiny new things. Second, you can slow things down by mindfully slowing down before you speak. As an example, next time you converse, make it a point to listen, instead of formulating a response. Practice STOP (Stop. Take a Breath. Observe. Proceed). You’ll develop patience, and also see situations differently for more thoughtful responses.
4. Be Thankful for What You Have
The power of patience and happiness are both unlocked with gratefulness. Many of us don’t realize it, but we have a lot. Yes, of course, we all have challenges, and some of them are pretty tough. But, there’s something to be grateful for in life. There’s always a silver lining. So, to become more patient, step into gratitude daily. We often forget all the little things along the way that make our lives unique. As a result, we miss it so much. Gratitude brings us more joy, and it also gives us more patience. Therefore, think of all the little moments that make up your life and practice gratitude, which brings more patience. For instance, be thankful for a sunny day, a delicious meal, or the fact you’ve been given another day at life.
If you practice patience every day by awareness, slowing things down, being thankful, and delaying gratification, you’ll find in time that you become more patient. With this patience, you’ll also see that you become kinder and more compassionate of yourself and others. And, inevitably, you’ll also find that your life becomes happier and less stressful. All of those are significant rewards of the power of patience.
© 2019 Wayne Elsey. All Rights Reserved