Regaining Your Sense of Patience
Patricia K. Flanigan, Ed.D.
Smart Strategies for Successful Living: Your Online Resource for a Happier and Healthier Lifestyle
In our hectic lifestyles, patience might not be one of our top virtues. Transitioning frequently between activities with limited time can make it challenging to stay composed when faced with unexpected obstacles. Even those who typically have remarkable patience can react impatiently to certain triggers. Therefore, it is crucial to acknowledge these tendencies and explore strategies for cultivating greater patience in our daily lives.
The Contrast Between Patient versus Impatient
Patience is the ability to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without becoming angry or upset. Conversely, impatience is characterized by becoming provoked, intolerant, irritated, restless, and/or anxious when facing the same circumstances.
The Root Causes for Impatience
There are several factors that can trigger impatience, including:
1. Personality: Impatience can be a personality trait that some people are born with. Some individuals are naturally more impatient than others, and it's often related to their temperament.
2. Situational: Certain situations can trigger impatience, such as being in a hurry to get somewhere or waiting for a long time.
3. Expectations: Impatience can result from unrealistic expectations. For example, expecting someone to respond to your email immediately when they're not available can result in frustration and impatience.
4. Stress: When we're under stress, it's more challenging to be patient. Stress can make us feel like we don't have enough time, leading to impatience.
Strategic?Ways to Regain Your Sense of Patience
When you find yourself becoming impatient, there are several strategies you can utilize to regain your patience:
(1)? Acknowledge the fact that you are in the process of losing or have already lost your patience.
The first step in regaining your patience is to acknowledge that you have lost it. Take a moment to recognize your emotions and feelings and understand why you are feeling impatient. Once you have recognized your impatience, you can move on to the next steps to regain your calm and composure.
(2) ?Direct your focus towards relaxing your body and releasing any tension in your muscles.
When we are impatient, our body tenses up, and we hold onto that tension. To regain your patience, you need to physically relax your body. Take a deep breath and release it slowly. Focus on relaxing your shoulders, neck, and other muscles in your body. Repeat this exercise several times until you feel more relaxed.
(3) Regain your focus by practicing stress release through a breathing technique.
Breathing exercises are an excellent way to regain your focus and calm your mind. The 4-7-8 breathing technique is one of the best ways to calm your mind and body. This technique involves inhaling for 4 seconds, holding your breath for 7 seconds, and then exhaling for 8 seconds. Repeat this exercise several times until you feel more relaxed and focused.
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(4) Engage in positive self-talk to shift your mindset out of impatience.?
Positive self-talk is a powerful tool to help you shift your mindset out of impatience. Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of a situation, focus on the positive. Encourage yourself to remain calm and think about the possible positive outcomes of the current situation. Remind yourself that the situation is temporary, and it will eventually pass.
(5)? Recognize that while you may not have control over the actual situation, you always have control over your attitude and response.
While you may not be able to control the situation, you always have control over your reaction to it. Take responsibility for your emotional response and choose to respond positively instead of negatively. Recognize that your attitude plays a significant role in how you perceive the situation and how you react to it.
(6) Look for the positive aspects in a situation where your expectations were not met.?
When your expectations are not met, it's easy to focus on the negative and become impatient. Instead, focus on the positive aspects and try to make the best of the situation. If you're stuck at the airport, think about how you can use that time productively. Read a book, catch up on emails, or do some work.
Cultivating patience is an essential skill that can help us navigate life's ups and downs with greater ease and equanimity. By practicing mindfulness, taking breaks, expressing gratitude, practicing self-care, and reframing our thoughts, we can regain our sense of patience and feel more in control of our lives. Whenever you find yourself feeling impatient, try one of these strategies and see how it can help you cultivate greater peace and tranquility in your daily life.
**Article Originally Published at: CLICK HERE.
Written by: Patricia K. Flanigan, Smart Strategies for Successful Living
Patricia K. Flanigan is a vibrant and passionate advocate for quality living and aging. She has dedicated over 28 years to working in higher education, but now enjoys a more peaceful lifestyle as the founding director and writer of Smart Strategies for Successful Living. In her free-time, she cherishes spending quality time with her family and friends, as well as getting out into nature with her beloved Samoyed dog, Wylie. Patricia loves helping others age gracefully and shares her wisdom through her content to promote the ultimate success in living.
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