Patience means the ability to endure good and bad, pleasant and unpleasant, pain and happiness, etc. with a calm mind.

Some people are naturally patient and can persist under any condition. Also, they can associate with others who have different character traits without being affected by the qualities of others.

Simultaneously, there are some people who need practicing patience in working with others as well as in tolerating vicissitudes of life. They are easily affected by external conditions.

The good news is if someone needs to become more patient, it is possible to build this quality of life.

Let us discuss patience which benefits your life.

What does patience look like?

When someone is patient, he can accept desirable things as well as undesirable things alike. For example, when your life is smoothly functioning, it is easy to act in a calm manner.

When life does not go in your way, can you act in a tranquil manner? Suppose the weather becomes hot, someone insults you maliciously or you are under lockdown, can you exercise the same amount of patience with yourself and those who are around you?

Well, if you are really patient, you should be able to handle any situation in a calm and collected manner.

If the mental status does not change circumstantially, it is the real patience one should look forward to cultivating in his life. Otherwise, he has to suffer according to the changing surroundings in his life.

What are the benefits of patience?

·        Patience gives peace of mind

When you are patient, the mind does not change according to what you go through in life. Therefore, you can keep up the peace of mind.

·        A patient person is loved by everyone

Whether it is your work colleagues or loved ones, if you are patient, others will like you.

Some jobs especially need patience such as customer care representatives, health care industry employees, teachers, etc. If you are a patient employee, you will be recognized as a team player.

In family, your spouse and children will love you for being patient with them. Also, the household environment will become pleasant for everyone.

·        Patience can take you a long way:

Impatience, as opposed to patience, makes you restless. You cannot wait until something is over and sometimes you quit halfway through.

On the contrary, patience allows you to stay calm until the end of your to-do list. You will well tolerate the difficulties you will come across in the midst to reach your goals steadily.

For further details, read Blessings of a Patient Heart

What makes you impatient?

This can depend on the character traits of an individual. Commonly, the following conditions can make you impatient, and therefore, it is important to identify them beforehand.

• Extreme weather conditions such as heat or cold,
• Hunger or certain illnesses,
• Character traits of others
• Relationship issues
• Workplace problems
• Financial hardships

The above are some of the problems that can make your nerves wreck.

 What are the disadvantages of impatience?

Impatience is the opposite of patience. It brings adverse consequences in one’s life.

• Impatience makes you restless
• It obstructs your way toward achieving long term plans
• Impatience can have a negative impact on your personal and professional life
• Your decision-making ability is impaired by impatience

How can you develop patience?

·        Engage in physical activities that enhances endurance:

Enhancing endurance helps you learn patience in a challenging situation. Set aside a few minutes for a walk or some other simple exercise to enhance your physical endurance.

Remember to consult your doctor before you start any kind of exercise.

·        Practice some meditation to enhance your focus

While physical activities strengthen your body muscles, meditation purifies your mind. Breathing meditation is one of the best meditations to practice patience because you will observe your own breath patiently.

Practice breathing meditation as soon as you wake up in the morning or before you go to bed. It is also a good exercise when you are multitasking. Take a few deep breaths before you start the next task.

·        Practice acts of compassion

Once you strengthen both your physical and mental capacity, it is time for you to practice. As we discussed earlier, engage in a kind act on a daily basis. Óver time, you will realize how you are looking for opportunities to help others.

For more details, read Should compassion be cultivated intentionally?

·        Identify triggers

While taking actions to cultivate patience, it is also important to identify what makes you impatient. Try to avoid those factors that make you impatient. For example, if you lose patience when you get caught in the traffic, plan to leave early. If you hate waiting for someone, be open enough to inform the other party that he should make it on time.

There is no point in losing our patience or blaming others. We should learn ways to guard the peace of our minds.

·        Make changes to your life style:

Sometimes we need to make slight changes in our lifestyle until we get settled down. For instance, if you are impatient until completing a new project, remember to take breaks when needed. Go for a walk to get some fresh air. The little changes will help you in refreshing your attitude toward things in life.

For more details, read Grounding: Stick to basics

·        Accept without expectation

Expectations can make you impatient. If things do not go your way, you will start panicking.

Instead, try to accept things as they are. For example, if your car breaks down when you are about to leave for work, do not get angry or impatient. It is time for you to go to work, so get a taxi. Once you are home in the evening, you can sort out the problem.

When it comes to people around you, do not expect he or she would act in a certain manner. If it does not happen the same way, you will be disappointed.

Do not think “why me? “or “why he did like this to me?” That makes you more impatient. Instead, think that all conditioned things are subject to change. You have no control over them. Therefore, no need to react.

This thinking pattern cools you down.

Finally, patience is the key to a successful life. Everyone in the world comes across different circumstances and it should be our goal not to get impatient in such instances. Even if you are enriched with intelligence, power, etc., it would be difficult to live in society if you lack patience.

Therefore, try to grow this great human quality in your mind.

Photo by Egor Vikhrev on Unsplash