Master the Waiting game: Cultivating Patience in a fast-paced world

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Patience is a Virtue

Patience is a dying trait in today’s frenetic society. We’re obsessed with buzzwords like shortcuts, hacks, and multitasking, all because waiting feels like a form of torture. As a working mother of two, constantly managing the chaos of work, social life, and family, there’s an insatiable urgency that permeates my existence. I’m not most patient bird around. So this blog post is literally a note to self in how to cultivate patience! But what really drives our impatience? Let’s peel back the layers and explore what triggers it.

Why Waiting Feels Like Watching Paint Dry on a Rainy Day:

  1. High Expectations – When we expect instant results it can lead to frustration when things don’t go as planned and in the time frame we want.
  2. Perfectionism – We often begin with a clear goal but have underestimated the time, effort and complexity involved in the chosen goal. Without adapting our approach and remaining flexible, perfectionism can lead to impatience and burnout.
  3. Lack of control – When we feel like a situation a person is beyond our control impatience can quickly set in, for example a delayed response, a slow moving project or someone else’s actions that don’t align with our expectations can create frustration. However, recognizing what is within our control which is our mindset reactions and approach versus what isn’t can help us develop patience and reduce stress.
  4. Exhaustion – When we are physically and mentally drained, fatigue lowers our tolerance for delays mistakes and obstacles making even small and conveniences feel overwhelming. Physically, a lack of rest can make us irritable while mental exhaustion from constant decision making or stress can leave us with little bandwidth to navigate challenges calmly. In this state we’re more likely to snap at people or rush through tasks.
  5. FOMO (fear of missing out) – In today’s virtually connected world, constantly seeing others’ successes can make us feel like we need to act quickly. Or that we’re falling behind.
  6. Neurodivergence – Neurodivergent individuals (diagnosed and undiagnosed) feel the pressure to “get it all done now” before ideas slip away. The fear of forgetting or losing momentum can create a sense of urgency that often leads to burnout or feeling overwhelmed.

Patience is the Secret Ingredient for Peaceful Progress:

  1. Emotional Clarity – Patience helps us pause and process emotions. leading to more thoughtful, measured responses rather than acting impulsively.
  2. Improved Relationships – Taking the time to be patient with others fosters deeper understanding and empathy, creating stronger bonds in both personal and professional relationships.
  3. Better Decision-Making: Patience allows us to wait for more information. This gives us time to reflect on our options and make wiser decisions, rather than rushing into this that we might later regret.

Hacks and Strategies to Develop Patience:

  1. Practice Mindfulness – Regular mindfulness exercises (meditation, breathing techniques help calm the mind, creating a more patient mindset.
  2. Re-frame Expectations– Challenge the need for instant results. Instead focus n progress over time. Enjoy the journey rather than fixating on immediate outcomes. Take for example your own health and fitness journey. We expect instant results, but we need to recognize that progress often happens quietly behind the scenes. Trust the process, even when the results aren’t immediately visible. That applies to fitness, personal growth and even challenges in relationships.
  3. Create Healthy Distractions – When feeling impatient, redirect your energies toward productive activities that engage your mind and body, such as reading, exercising or creative hobbies to take focus off waiting.
  4. Recognizing Exhaustion – Recognizing when exhaustion can help us take a step back rest, and assess the situation with a clear more composed mindset. Rest, Rejuvenate and Recover when tired.
  5. Past Experience – Think about a time when patience paid off for you – whether in fitness, relationships or work. This is a reminder that you have it in you to make it through the hard journey.
  6. How you Wait – It’s not just about waiting. It’s about how we wait. Personally, focusing on enjoying the process, celebrating small winds and working on my personal development is helps me stay the course.
  7. Use a Planner – Embrace the idea of capturing thoughts and ideas as they come. This may help eliminate the need to complete everything in one go. Additionally, by practicing patience you may find that your ideas will come back to you in new ways. Sometimes stepping back actually enhances the quality of your work when you return to it.

Timeless Wisdom: Inspiring Historical Quotes to Empower Your Journey

“You will not be punished for your anger; you will be punished by your anger”- The Buddha

“Be patient then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop. patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.” The Bible, James 5:7

“He who learns but does not think is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger” – Confucius

Call to Action:
  1. What’s one area in your life that patience is holding you back?
  2. They say good things come to those who wait – How has this shown up in your life?
  3. How do you cope with waiting for something important?

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts and experiences on this topic! Have a great week .

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