What could we all use more of that we don’t necessarily think we need? Patience. Being patient is hard. There are so many things around us that tell us we don’t have to be patient. The world tells us that we are great and that we can have what we want when we want. We see it from children who throw temper tantrums in stores because they want candy and chips now. Young adults want good grades in a class simply for being in class regardless of the quality of the work they complete. Impatience is embedded into our society from microwave dinners and credit cards to Netflix and Hulu. With the premise behind the latter, that we can watch what we want, when we want and as long as we want.
So how do we develop more patience? Is it something that we either have or don’t have? I truly believe that we can all develop more patience. Being patient is a character trait that can and should be developed. Here are some tips that I’ve used and hopefully they will benefit you.
Keep in mind this is not by any means a complete list on how to develop patience:
Wait
Wait 24 hours before making any big decisions or purchases. I would and, sometimes still will, set a price limit for myself when it comes to buying things. For example, I have set a limit of $100. Anything over that, I will wait 24hrs to think about it and then decide if I really need it. I’m an Apple fanatic who is writing this blog on a MacBook, with an IPhone by my side and IPad on my desk. Each year when the announcement comes of the new line of Apple products I have to go through this process. I want the new versions of everything, but waiting has helped me to stay with my IPad 2, and not to buy an Apple Watch.
Look
Look for the pattern that may cause you to be impulsive. For me it’s an emotional trigger. If I have a bad day, or am upset I am eager to buy something. Looking for a pattern requires us to look inward and to be honest with ourselves. It also requires that we track our days, our feelings, as much as we can remember. You’re going to need a journal for this. Something small enough that you can keep it with you always. I’ve found that it’s easier to write things down immediately after they happen than to try and remember what happened and how it felt later that night or the next day.
Pray
Prayer. The strength that I needed to say no or to wait allows me to hear from God. In a time of sincere prayer where I expressed that I needed and wanted to change in this area, I believe that God not only heard me but that He also helped me. There are times when we need more than our will to change, we need more than just what we can muster up in ourselves. That is where our prayer comes into play. God helped me and I believe that He will help you too.
These are some of the things that I did that help me to develop patience. I still do many of the above things and look for ways that I can continue to grow in patience. Our personal growth should never stop.
