by Shawn A. Holden
Know that impatience can be described as restlessness or short of temper, especially under irritation, or delay. Know that anxiety and impatience are linked because being anxious makes it hard to wait for something to happen. With that in mind consider practicing the following five tips to become the master of your emotions. (Because let’s be real, people will always be pushing our buttons):
1. Mindfulness – Before you do anything, be sure to set a daily intention. The why: if you set an intention for the day, whether good or bad, it’s common for a lot of individuals to hang on to that emotion for the day.
Challenge yourself to set a positive intention for every activity you do and why you’re doing it. This brings focus and clarity to your activity to help you follow through. Mindfulness practice can also teach you to have more gratitude and patience. Try stepping outside and pretending this is the first time in a year. Use all your senses to smell the freshly cut grass. Feel the soft summer wind gently on your skin as you caress a flower. Complement the first person you see and watch their smile glow. Know that the intention of this practice will help you in your journey to become a more patient and loving person.
2. Slow Down – Take extra time to enjoy normal activities such as brushing your teeth or your hair. Use all of your senses to enjoy what you would usually rush through. Maybe it is rush hour traffic and you feel stressed out to get to where you want to be quicker, but instead try to find ways to enjoy this time with yourself. Play your favorite music and listen or sing engagingly and consider how you are living in a time where this song gave you happy memories that you and few others were present for.
3. Irritability – Irritability is a personality trait that can be defined as multiple occurrences of impatience but know that only you can feel this way and it is in your power to change, even if someone else is acting “irritating”. Understanding that ONLY YOU can choose to be irritable will be an important stepping stone. Instead of acting irritable, try alternative and productive methods to counter irritability by asking questions and talking through your struggle with the other person or yourself. Ask yourself, “Why does this upset me, and where does it come from?” and “Should I be upset over this, and if so, is it worth bringing in negative energy?”
4. Blame – Shift your mind into believing that no one is at fault, but instead, you and the other person have come to a disagreement and that it is okay! If your mom knocked over your favorite vase, or in my case, my husband made a house renovation decision without me and I didn’t like it, it is not anyone’s fault or a reason to point fingers. Blame stems from irritability and can be easily fixed with a calm conversation. Practicing consideration before lashing out will bring clarity and more patience into your life no matter the circumstance.
5. Understanding – Once you have mastered patience, you will become a more understanding and fulfilled person because all of your emotions stem from YOU and you alone. This is one of many characteristics you can transform into something positive because being a positive person does not only mean smiling and no one is naturally born positive.
A little bit about myself and my sources: I have picked up all of these practices from weekly therapy and utilized them on a daily basis. I was struggling with impatience for a long time and didn’t realize how I was hurting others. I have found very positive results from these and I hope you all can enjoy them as well!