Become More Patient
Aww. Patience. Such a simple word. A word that describes an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness orannoyance when confronted with delay. A word that is used more often than needed. Be patient--there are only 4 people in front of us in line. Be patient--your acceptance letter will come soon. Be patient--The laundry is almost done. Be patient--He'll marry you someday.
We're told to constantly be patient, but truly is being told to be patient helping or hindering us. I know for me when a person tells me to be patient all I want to do is get through what I am doing even faster.
So here's my challenge for you. Instead of being more patient, why don't you start to become more patient. Now I know that sounds silly, and you're probably thinking Jenna that's the same exact thing, but it's not. Being patient is a quality that not many hold. Yes, some may be more patient than others, but truly to be full rounded in the patience department is quite near impossible. So in order to become a well rounded individual (that I know we all strive to be) I have come up with some tips on improving one's level of patience.
1. Create a schedule for yourself and others that will cause there to be no issue of patience. For example. My roommate takes a long time to get ready when we're going out. Usually I get impatient with her and get a little uptight. Instead of getting uptight, what I can do is let her know a particular time that she needs to be ready by that is a few minutes before we truly need to leave. This way I can take my time getting ready and relax so that the rest of my night is stress free.
2. Take a deep breath. Overcoming patience is all about your attitude towards and about life. When you start to feel yourself getting edgy from being impatient, take a few deep breaths. Think of it as a mini yoga lesson without the pretzel moves. Take in those deep breathes and try to clear your mind.
3. Remind yourself that things take time. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither were Fred's skills from the Wal-Mart check out aisle. Our society today is built on instant access and instant gratification. This is where we need to flashback to the good ole days when things took months to years to do instead of hours to days. Those things that we hold so precious to our heart as a society; the Sistine Chapel, the Grand Canyon, good wine; took time to make.
So take a deep breath, and enjoy your time in the check out aisle. Heck maybe your patience will pay off with you being the 10,000th customer and winning yourself a sweet foldable cooler.
Everyone needs a foldable cooler.
Smile at Strangers, Look into their Eyes, and Say Hello
I was walking down to the store this weekend with my boyfriend (yes readers I do have a boyfriend, but his true identity will not be revealed for his own safety--for now I will call him Dino) and I observed that every individual we passed he flashed his handsome smile at and said hello. Now this wasn't the type of hello where you glance into the man or woman's eyes quickly, and mumble a "hi". No sir. This was a straight look into the depths of the other person's soul, with a strong and friendly hello, and even sometimes a "how are you today".
As I am admiring yet another thing I enjoy about this man, Dino turns to me, with such a look of concern, and states that people really don't act as friendly as they should anymore. This statement caught me off guard, as I realized that he was 100% right.
I continued to lull his statement over and over in my brain as we went to the beach. Yet again, Dino said hello and began to compliment a man on his surf board. When Dino went up to touch and admire the board the man reeled back as if Dino was going to steal his board. Once this man realized that "oh this guy isn't a criminal in boardshorts trying to take my board" he appreciated the compliment. However, Dino was upset by the way the man reacted to his friendliness. Seeing this all happen before my eyes, I felt a match of motivation be striked inside of me. A motivation which I hope after reading this point you will share.
I am motivating myself to say hello to every individual I see on the street (unless of course I am in Waikiki and there are thousands of people everywhere). I am going to look them dead in the face, say hello, and smile. I challenge you to do the same. For those of you who are more shy, try to at least smile at every individual you pass.
Think about it. If we can all start by simply smiling or saying hello to every one we pass perhaps we can create a domino effect and soon everyone will be a little bit more friendly. We can only hope--right?
Once a Week, Write a Heartfelt Letter
Most of you readers out there will immediately blow this point off. You'll look at my request of you and see the ONCE A WEEK part and the WRITE part and automatically think "I don't have time to do that". Think about this people---How many hours a day do you spend watching mind-nummying television shows? Don't worry I'm not pointing fingers as I am probably the worst one due to my job. Now think about whether or not you could replace one of those hours of mindless reality television with writing a letter to your mother, father, brother, sister, husband, boyfriend, grandmother, grandfather, niece, or nephew.
My roommate, Lauryn, is very good about this. I see her not only write heartfelt letters to others in her life, but letters to herself. Now the letters to herself may be in the form of journal writing, but nonetheless it's a letter to herself. In return of her letter writing to others, I see her receive letters from those she writes. Well this makes me jealous. I know you all, just as I do, love to receive snail mail in that box thing that stands on the side of the road ( I think they call it a mailbox--not an inbox right?!). I mean yes we all receive constant, daily emails in our inbox that may or may not make us happy, but truly does it have the same effect as receiving that tangible item in the mailbox. I know for me when I get something in the mail, like a nice shirt or fruit snacks from my mother (gotta love Lori Luthro), it makes my day just a tad better.
Now I'm not saying that emails, or texts of your love and appreciation for someone aren't meaningful. I love sending random emails to people I care about to let them know I am thinking about them. Or a nice text that says that they are the best. I know it makes them smile. However, I bet I could bring a bigger smile to their face if I had sent them a real letter.
So here is my task for you today. Get off the computer. Pick up that long object that holds ink that they call a pen, and write a letter. I don't care if it's a sweet note to your grandmother, a naughty set of thoughts to your husband, or an in-depth novel to yourself.
As Nike says and my motto of the day--Just Do It.
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