Patience

Patience can be a benefit of practice. Patience is work. It must also be practiced intentionally. 

We all encounter aggravating habits in ourselves and in others. Some people aggravate intentionally as a way to vent their own anger, frustration or anxiety. Denying aggravation has never been my strong point. However, how I cope has evolved with my personal practice. Patience is the key to the changes I have made in dealing with difficult situations. 

From a practical standpoint, patience can begin with something as simple as adopting silence when upset. Placing space between myself and the object of my aggravation is also helpful. Once I have removed myself from the intensity of the aggravating situation or stimulus, mentally and/or physically, I can take the time to understand what is going on with me. Am I being irrationally annoyed? Is the aggravating stimulus made worse by my personal vulnerabilities? Would the aggravating stimulus be easily observable by others in my environment?

Taking a scientific attitude toward my own emotional and physical reactions to my environment has helped me to develop patience. If I know who I am, I need not feel threatened by many things which used to threaten me. Using my own feelings as a stimulus to challenge myself to understand them is extremely important for me in order to know my limits and boundaries in relation to my environment and those in it. 

The benefits of patience are great. Reducing conflict, promoting healthy relaxation, enhancing interpersonal skills. The consequences of not developing patience with age are also great. Hypertension, alienation, generalized anxiety. My vision of practice is grounded in simple measures taken daily to promote mental and general health. One of the most basic skills which can achieve personal and social health is patience.