I wouldn't describe myself as an aggressive driver, but I surprise myself sometimes at the frequency I find myself changing lanes, and muttering under my breath at the people on the road that do not understand commuter driving. I try not to get frustrated when check out lines are long in the grocery store, but since it is a task I already dislike, I feel myself getting annoyed. I know being out on hold is sometimes necessary, but I hate when the wait time is unrealistic, as in your wait time will b approximately 2 minute, restated every two minutes. I get impatient in other areas. Why my savings plan isn't manifesting as quickly as I'd like (well stop spending already!), or a project I'm waiting on at work hasn't arrived. Waiting for people who are late is particularly annoying. Yes, I need some lessons in playing a better waiting game. Here's week 12.
Monday, August 6, 2018
Waiting Game and the Art of Patience
I'm virtually following along with my daughters year long quest to mindfulness by watching and sharing her weekly vlogs based on her experience practicing the lessons from the book How to Train a Wild Elephant: and Other Adventures in Mindfulness by Jan Chozen Bays. this week particularly resonated with me as it deals with waiting and having patience. Man do I have a lot to learn to channel patience and appreciate the moments-not hurrying to the next thing in life. It's going to take more than a weekly lesson though to change 52 years of hurry and impatience for those that live life slower than me, but the effort to at least try and appreciate moments that force me t slow down are key. I was horrible as a teen abut got better as a preschool teacher and parent, as children force you to need to go at their pace. Now that I no longer have the wonder and curiosity of children around me, I find myself growing in impatience at trivial things.
I wouldn't describe myself as an aggressive driver, but I surprise myself sometimes at the frequency I find myself changing lanes, and muttering under my breath at the people on the road that do not understand commuter driving. I try not to get frustrated when check out lines are long in the grocery store, but since it is a task I already dislike, I feel myself getting annoyed. I know being out on hold is sometimes necessary, but I hate when the wait time is unrealistic, as in your wait time will b approximately 2 minute, restated every two minutes. I get impatient in other areas. Why my savings plan isn't manifesting as quickly as I'd like (well stop spending already!), or a project I'm waiting on at work hasn't arrived. Waiting for people who are late is particularly annoying. Yes, I need some lessons in playing a better waiting game. Here's week 12.
I wouldn't describe myself as an aggressive driver, but I surprise myself sometimes at the frequency I find myself changing lanes, and muttering under my breath at the people on the road that do not understand commuter driving. I try not to get frustrated when check out lines are long in the grocery store, but since it is a task I already dislike, I feel myself getting annoyed. I know being out on hold is sometimes necessary, but I hate when the wait time is unrealistic, as in your wait time will b approximately 2 minute, restated every two minutes. I get impatient in other areas. Why my savings plan isn't manifesting as quickly as I'd like (well stop spending already!), or a project I'm waiting on at work hasn't arrived. Waiting for people who are late is particularly annoying. Yes, I need some lessons in playing a better waiting game. Here's week 12.
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Have you tried meditating? Caveat: I'm also not a patient person, but am working on it. :-) I'm trying out the Headspace app, which helps if you are not a meditator & haven't tried it before. To be honest, it's the best part of my day. It's quite relaxing & has helped me both manage stress better, and appreciate the moment a bit more. And, I swear this isn't a referral link. ;-) They have free versions where you can try it for 10 days. My work offers an incredibly cheap subscription.
ReplyDeleteI'm not an app girl-too much phone clutter, but meditating, or at least reflection, a bit. I need to get some better head space.
DeleteI also suffer from a lack of patience. It's not exactly the greatest trait, impatience, when you have a houseful of kids. What I try to do s limit the things which try my patience--I don't use a mobile phone or apps, removed myself from social media, and avoid crowds and herd mentality. I also don't wait for ANYBODY, unless there is a good reason. If I have something I am going to do at a certain time, I leave, with or without those who want to join me. If I have an appointment, (say, dentist) and they are more than 10 minutes late getting me in, I walk up and reschedule, and ask for a break on the cost for my trouble.
ReplyDeleteImpatience is not always a bad thing--in college, I was that kid who went to the library the day term papers were assigned to do her research, because I knew it would try my patience to have to wait for checked out materials to be returned. When I worked, I always jumped right into my projects, even if only by writing a brainstorming list. I guess I see impatience as the balance sheet on my time--my time is valuable to me, and I will be impatient with those who don't respect it, or, worst, attempt to squander it.
Your response might have set a fuze on my brain of an incident with my mother-in-law and the royal family (AKA my brother-in-law). It might be a whole post on not just blowing off someone's time, but downright feeling entitled to it.
DeleteYour daughter is so wise - she is like Yoda!!! It is nice to sometimes be reminded to live in the moment and stop wishing your life away.....which I think we all tend to do because we are so busy we don't take the time to enjoy where we are at the moment!!! She is such an inspiration!!!
ReplyDeleteWell, she comes across wise, but let me tell you this patience week had to be her hardest one yet!
DeleteI'm continuing to work on "being present" using Ekhart Tolle as my guide. I win some, I lose some. I hate wating in line so I TRY to focus on people watching or deep breathing. It isn't easy so I also try to go out when places are the least busy.
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