Not only is patience a virtue, it’s indispensable if you want to live a happier life. When we are impatient we are saying we don’t want what we have or are experiencing right now. This creates a mindset of lack. Being in a state of limbo – in between where we are and where we want to be, can actually be a wonderful place filled with insights, opportunities, and the necessary time for events to align, events that will allow our lives to unfold simply, perfectly. When we wish away “the space in between” we create stress for ourselves and we can’t take advantage of these gifts.
Ironically, I have found that appreciating where I am and what I have right now makes my efforts more positive. I can work patiently without striving and can enjoy the individual steps I take to reach my next goal. Fully accepting my present circumstances and focusing on what is in front of me today seems to slow down time for me. And in this slowing (real or simply perceived) I recognize that I have all the time I ever need.
It might seem counterintuitive that embracing your current state and working less feverishly toward your hopes and dreams, your wishes and desires, will bring you a contentedness that fosters reaching those goals but somehow it works.
Here are three steps to Cultivating Patience:
- When impatience arises, take three deep and cleansing breaths then….
- Ask yourself: “What is right about where I am or what I have today?” Write this insight down. No matter how small this gift might be, fully accept and appreciate it.
- Ask yourself: “How can I use the interim, this time in between where I find myself and where I want to be, to prepare for what I am patiently waiting for or working towards? List those action items and start to take them.
Do this each time you find yourself in conflict with your present circumstances, wishing you had already arrived, and soon you will find patience and a deep abiding sense of peace that creates harmony in your life.
About the author: Patricia Brooks is a speaker, life purpose coach, and author of Growing Bold: How to Overcome Fear, Build Confidence, and Love the Life you Live. She is currently living in France and experiencing her dream.
Photo Credit: Sergey Zolkin