Show Extra Patience

Here the lovely reactions to the Show Extra Patience* newsletter! :-)

AA wrote:

Patience... is something you will have to learn in the course of Life...

The hardest experience with patience was when I lost Patrik. I had to learn patience... to give Life another chance... patience to wake up every morning and believe that the pain will ease one day... to believe that Life still has a meaning and to believe that one day I could feel - if not happy, then at least content and balanced. This experience has put other experiences in life into the right perspective.

Patience is giving Life a chance.

Another great lesson is my work with old people. Demented, physically completely disabled, heavy to handle physically and mentally.

Still... they deserve your patience and love. There are days where you could scream but you know there's no point in that. You learn to repeat the same over and over again - repeating the same answers to the same demented questions. Sometimes you don't even know on which side you are yourself! But... you know that they are completely dependant on you - and your patience.

Patience is respecting Life in all its forms.

The third lesson I've learned is loving somebody.

Life has taught me to "survive", to be strong, to trust myself only. It is hard to trust somebody else. Patience is giving somebody else a chance as well. This is something that is very hard for me. Up to now I've always given up very easily. If the things do not work out as I've planned - away with it! I told you about my new relationship... I still notice that I'm too ready to give up - being alone is always safe and secure.

Patience is giving Love a chance.

Leaving for work soon. To my old people. Trying to keep my hands patient, my speech gentle. I'm not an angel and I don't always succeed.

But I do my very best.

BB wrote: 

Patience. 

The only thing I can think of now is that I’m trying to be patient when waiting for Spring! This time of the year can be quite dull sometimes, but I can be patient for a bit longer, I’m sure!

CC wrote:

Deine Newsletter hat mich so was von angesprochen. Ob du's glaubst oder nicht, das Thema "patience" ist seit ein paar Wochen in meinem Focus. Ich sehr impatient, da ich selber sehr schnell bin und es auch von jedem anderen erwarte und arbeite daran, geduldiger mit meinen Mitmenschen, aber auch mit mir zu werden. Eine Uebung, die ich mir ausgedacht habe, ist, sich im Supermarkt immer an der längsten Kasse anzustellen...

(Sabina has marked some sections in italics)

*Show Extra Patience

“The journey of patience involves relaxing, opening to what’s happening, (and) experiencing a sense of wonder”

                             Pema Chödrön: Comfortable with Uncertainty

Your computer does not react immediately, the question to your colleague remains unanswered, someone’s very slow before you at the cashier, the traffic light turns to red the moment you approach… Situations were we tense up and get annoyed or outright mad.  

And why? Just because we’re always in a rush, and too much focused on our own ideas of how things should be.

What if we stop every time we feel impatience tensing us up, stop talking to ourselves and acting it out?

Instead we close our eyes for an instant, and relax. We take three deep breaths and let go of the tension around our eyes, at our neck and our shoulders. We just enjoy being alive and healthy. And then we continue with a smile!

Let’s try to show extra patience this week - towards our children, in public transports, with ourselves and in all our relations with others.

Every time you succeed in stopping and letting go of impatience, make a mental note of it, and be proud of yourself. It might even turn into a habit!

Try to bring extra awareness into the situations that you know trigger your impatience, and prepare yourself to stop and breathe. What situations would that be? Working with your computer? Getting stuck in traffic on your way to work? Waiting for your children to prepare for school?

Have a good week! 

The Happiness Network