If I wanted patients, I’d open a clinic.
Unfortunately, very few of us own a clinic. And, sadly, it seems as though even fewer of us employ patience.
There are a lot of ways to look at Love. Love can be happiness, it can be compassion, it can be support and it can as simple as a hug. It can also be, and is, patience.
But, patience can be a scarce in supply.
Think about when you’re not in a space of Love. Chances are, you’re probably not practicing patience, either. Whether that’s toward someone else, a situation or, especially, ourselves, a lack of Love is a lack of patience. The two, often, walk hand in hand.
So, how do you practice patience?
Well, by practicing patience.
Another word for patience is ‘time’. To be patient, you need time. It needs to pass; it needs to elapse. And, the truth is, as much as it seems like we don’t have enough, we all have time.
If you’ve been around for even only a handful of years, you’ve probably experienced 98% of all things “life” that require patience. You’ve gotten angry, you’ve been insulted, had your heart broken, someone’s eaten your sandwich, you’ve lost a loved one and your kids are nuts. Whatever it is, there’s opportunity for patience. Compare of all those instances and however many more you can think of; what’s a pretty good common denominator to them all? They’ve all seemed less shitty after some time has passed; after you’ve had a chance to simmer down, gain some clarity or just let things take their course. It’s a function of patience. Even when you probably could’ve reacted in a more positive way, well, here’s the chance to offer some patience to yourself and say, “I can do better next time”.
And, so, how do you practice patience? BY PRACTICING PATIENCE.
There’s no magic formula, there’s no DVD, there’s no podcast. It’s about awareness. It’s about recognizing where you can practice patience (everywhere!) and where you missed that chance (everywhere!).
The convenient part about practicing patience is that your opportunity to do so lay within its very instance. The moment you recognize that you’re not in a space of Love, stop. Stop and breathe. Stop and breathe and ask yourself how you could be more patient right at this very moment. Do you really need to yell about what you’re yelling about? Does it really matter that someone said whatever about whatever and they’re an asshole? Do you really need to be stressed and worried about whatever it is you’re stressed and worried about?
When you can’t find the answer to any of those questions, look down at the palms of hands, feel the air in your lungs and listen the sound of your Heart. You’re here. You’ve been through all of this before, and maybe it wasn’t great but it wasn’t the end of days, either. You’re here and you’re okay. You’ll always be okay. Be patient.
Be Love.
I can’t help laughing the part you wrote “….your kids are nuts”! This reminds of a friend of mine, her son changed the ring tone of her cell phone. So next day when she was at a client meeting, and she forgot to turn her phone to silent mode, here it rang as “hey idiot, go and get your phone, you think you are better than others”… and it rang twice and she couldn’t believe that was from her phone. When she told me, I laughed so crazily that I almost fell on the floor 🙂 Her conclusion was to never let her son go close to her phone. Patience requires lots of internal power, a power would make you eliminate everything that negative from the outside but focus on what you really need to do to get what you want. I have great experience in this when I decided to quit from my last job, which I hated so much. I am honest that I don’t like that job and I don’t like that place. By saying this, I am not trying to compare of that job to my previous job. Whenever I realized that I hated that place, that job so much, I took action immediately by first of all reminding me what I really want to do in my career and start to look. Of course, a nice job will not fall in front of you immediately, and after they fall, it takes a long time before you can start your new job. Oh yeah, tell me about those first and second interviews, background check etc… However I managed to hide the fact that I am leaving in my old workplace except my reference. There was times that I was so frustrated that I just want to run away. I posted some comments on my social media that I so badly want to jump on the next plane home. I had so enough that I was ready to walk out, and yes it was that bad and sorry I hated that place so much. I didn’t know how I managed to live my days there. I think it is love that supported me! It is, I called and scheduled coffee and lunch with old colleagues from my previous previous place and told them what a horrible mistake that I have made and I wish I have never left them the first place. One of them told me you will never know how bad your next job is until you start working there. Their kindness, their help and their great support has helped me to end up with my current job. Their love is a great gift. I didn’t choose them to love, but I just chose love and it is just happened to be them. I can’t imagine if my first real job was not with them! Again I am not trying to compare but just want to share my real feelings with you. I am sure you want to know the real side of me, but not the one who tell you what is considered to be the right answer; and let’s just face it, the second one is called wasting of time. All right, nerd, this is all I am going to share will you this time, chat with you next week! Sleep tight. 🙂
When you choose Love, you choose the Love that you create for yourself. You created the Love and support that was brought to you from your friends because that is Love you attract by being that same Love.
The “right answer” does not exist. The only answer is to be who you are. As hard as it might be, it’s to live as your true self. Something that requires a great deal of courage. It’s part of having huge amounts of patience but also the fortitude to not be pushed around or pushed over. Patience, compassion and understanding is not the same as being taken advantage of or always turning the other cheek. It’s a tough balance to find, but your Heart will know. Being your true self is never a waste of time.
Be well. Be Love and thank you for your message.