The Best Things Take Time
Patience and the Power of Acceptance
Do you ever wish you could just snap your fingers and make all your problems disappear? Wouldn’t that be fantastic? It’s a very appealing thought to conjure with, especially when life insists on delivering its daily measure of difficulties and challenges. But then we always look for the short cut, don’t we? We naturally seek the easiest and fastest way to make things better. After all, why would anyone want to prolong the pain and discomfort? It’s entirely natural that we’d want to minimise any unpleasantness. And the sooner we eliminate any problems, the better we’ll feel. It makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?
Yet, the process of change, improvement or transformation always takes time. If you want to lose some weight, for example, the change in diet or exercise needs days and weeks to reveal all its benefits. If you didn’t see the desired results after one day, you wouldn’t give up the new diet, would you? Of course not. Because we know that these changes don’t happen overnight. They need the essential ingredient of time. And it can be very helpful to remind ourselves that the truly significant changes often require time to mature and reveal their full potential.
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.
-??????Lao Tzu
Even if we know that most things take time to develop, we live in a culture that demands instant results. Against our better judgement, we’ve been conditioned to expect immediate outcomes.
Yet, in many instances, change is not a step. It’s a process.
Of course, it’s always a good idea to identify the fastest and most efficient way to resolve any problem. But, when the desired results are not immediately apparent, it’s very helpful to remember that some changes take a little longer to manifest their benefits.
The purpose of this reminder is to counsel patience in the pursuit of any worthwhile goal or ambition. We're not suggesting a passive attitude of acceptance. It’s a timely reminder that we need to do everything within our power to influence the outcomes we desire. But, sometimes, it can take longer than we originally imagined or intended.
Accepting, for example, that delays might occur that are beyond the scope of our influence or control helps us to avoid the frustrations that often show up when we encounter resistance. Accepting that some processes require patience and persistence reminds us that the goal will always be more important than the setbacks.
Patience and fortitude conquer all things.
-??????Ralph Waldo Emerson
The fact is that too many people are discouraged in the face of setbacks and delays. Too many individuals are tempted to quit and abandon their dreams when they bump up against the inevitable resistance that’s an integral part of the quest for success. They interpret the inevitable problems as a sign that - somehow - they’re not supposed to pursue their dreams. Recognising the danger of this potential trap can prepare us to treat the setbacks as nothing more than minor inconveniences. A deep breath and a fresh intake of patience and determination can help all of us to align our energy and our intentions with the goals we’ve chosen for ourselves.
Patience in the face of complex problems or seemingly insurmountable challenges can help us to remain calm - rather than over-reacting with fear, anger, doubt or frustration. It helps us to maintain our sense of equilibrium and encourages us to tap into our creativity. We’re much more likely to come up with new and better ways to resolve our problems when we’re feeling calm and quietly in control of our circumstances.
With love and patience, nothing is impossible.
-??????Daisaku Ikeda
Accepting that some problems need longer to resolve than others helps us to maintain the confidence that we will always find the answer – as long as we keep looking for it.
The message here is that patience and acceptance can re-frame our expectations and keep our situation in perspective. It’s also a clear reminder that our goals and dreams and ambitions are far more important than any challenges, frustrations or setbacks. It’s absolutely fine to accept that we might require more time to bring our goals to fruition but it’s also a warning that we should not accept the obstacles as absolute or final. Feeling unstoppable in the face of opposition is a very powerful mindset to bring to any campaign for self-fulfillment and the realisation of our dreams.
Let’s substitute patience for frustration. Let’s acquire the mature perspective of acceptance to temper our fears and rely on logic to resolve our problems and work through any obstacles that might appear to be hindering our progress.
If life has one enduring purpose, it is to discover what we’re truly capable of achieving as individuals and as a species. The fulfilment of life’s purpose is not played out in one day or in the course of one season. It is, indeed, a lifelong process that calls for growth and development throughout the entire journey. Patience, therefore, is a cardinal virtue that rewards its practitioners with the persistence and determination that become irresistible forces in the quest for success, fulfilment and self-realisation.
A man who is a master of patience is master of everything else.
-??????George Savile
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Greg Parry created The Wellness Foundation and the Cognitive Empowerment Programs specifically to help people master their stress, overcome their limitations and explore the power of their true potential.
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