“The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it open.”
– Arnold Glasow, American humorist.
Patience is power. Patience is the ability to wait gently for something that one needs. Impatience is at its opposite and usually trying to force something to happen sooner than it can. We lose patience when we feel that our needs and wishes are being ignored. With the advancement of technology, we have no patience for waiting for anything. In a modern environment where we’re accustomed to instant communication and immediate access to data, it’s a growing problem. But if we practice being patient, it will become a habit.
Patience is a great virtue that helps us to reduce stress and conflict, to maintain a better relationship with family, friends, and coworkers. It improves our ability to accept barriers and enjoy life much more. It helps us to achieve our careers and long-term life goals. Patience allows us to make more productive decisions, and lead to greater success. Patient people have a great sense of gratitude. Research says that people who can stay calm, suffer less from depression.
Although some people are naturally patient, the rest of us struggle with impatience. The good news is, patience is a skill that can be learned over time. First of all, we have to identify the causes of our impatience. If we understand what situations trigger it, we can develop strategies to prevent or overcome it. For example, if someone loses patience for hunger, dehydration, or fatigue, he can take a snack and a glass of water! Then we have to recognize the physical and emotional symptoms associated with impatience and handle them by using deep breathing and relaxation techniques. We have to develop our empathy and emotional intelligence skills to battle against impatience. If we win the battle, we will lead a happier and virtuous life.
Becoming a patient will not happen overnight, but hard work paid off. The more we exercise patience, the more it will become a habit.
Rowshon Ara
Intern, Content Writing Department, YSSE
