“Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.”
–Joyce Meyer
I was walking with Truffle this morning. I swear, she has to smell EVERYTHING when she’s off the leash. I was thinking (actually, I was running forward in my head into my day) of all the things to accomplish. First of all, I did not want to be late for my 8:00 am massage, there were flowers to plant, this email to write, grocery shopping, Self Image Mastery prep…wait, wait, wait! What happened to enjoying the moment? I repeated an affirmation of mine out loud, “I am patient,” and let Truffle just enjoy her smelling.
And I delighted in just being present in the moment. It rained last night and it smelled so good out. The sun was trying to break through the dawn and the sky was beautiful–my favorite shade of peach. Spring break left the High School parking lot and the streets quiet and empty. The birds were singing a joyful melody. The rest of my day could wait.
Patience–what a great subject for this email.
In our current times, we are surrounded by lightening fast technology, decision making, expectations, life and fast food. Practicing patience in an era where it seems no one has any patience. may feel counter-intuitive, but patience allows us to slow down and smell the rain and appreciate the sunrise. It gives us time to calm our minds, show compassion, love and be loved.
Being able to tolerate delays without feeling angry or frustrated is a necessary quality for leadership…and life in general. This eases our minds mentally and also allows our bodies to physically function in a stress-reduced state, lowering our blood pressure, staving off illnesses and not compromising our immune systems.
What qualities can we develop that help us have patience?
Persistence – the ability to keep moving forward even if you cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel. Having faith that you are moving in the right direction without distraction brings a sense of inner peace.
Acceptance – believe that everything happens for a reason and even if the reason is illogical, it will be revealed at a later time when and if it is necessary.
Peace – having a sense of serenity and knowing that whatever distraction is happening, it will pass, as the present is what is meant to be.
When I practice patience, my need for anger disappears…okay, most of the time. When we are impatient, we go through a gamut of emotions from irritation to impatience to anger and then maybe even rage. Not only does patience help us achieve that which we desire, it helps us keep our anger in check.
The easiest way to practice patience is to count to 10 or take 10 deep breaths. This creates space between an impulse reaction and an actual action step. This gives us the time to choose our great attitude. Patience is power. Practicing patience allows us to slow down and enjoy life with a new viewpoint and sense of enjoyment.
Patiently typed,
Jan
Jan McDonald
The John Maxwell Team
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