Webster’s dictionary defines patience as “persevering in the face of delay.”
This week I went BIG with gaining more patience, and learned why patience is a virtue. We aren’t born patient, it is a skill we can learn and develop, and it builds character. By choosing to not go for the small reward, or instant gratification now, we hold out for a more valuable reward, or delayed gratification later, and remain positive while waiting for it.
I was already patient with waiting for my turn in line, or waiting for the thermometer to reach 170 degrees celsius before taking the turkey out of the oven. But to go BIG with patience, I worked on gaining patience with unforeseen delays – like delayed airline flights, or having to wait five days for the drywall mud to dry. And mainly, when I forget to do something and it causes a delay.
By slowing down the pace, I realized that delays are a normal part of life, and everything will eventually get done, and by being patient with myself and others I am able to deal with delays ‘when’ and not ‘if’ they occur.
photo credit: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/angsocialmed/6477009555/”>AuthenticAng11</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a> <a href=”http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/”>cc</a>