PATIENCE
In the first episode of this series the importance and how we can start to walk towards being a better person was discussed. Today we will be taking a look at one of the key attributes that comes along with being a better person.
We live in a fast pace world, where things are rapidly changing on daily basis, and so there is a tendency to always be in a hurry to keep up with what is going on around us. This unfortunately has made us less patient, although in hindsight we often discover that by being patient we could have avoided many past mistakes and have achieved greater results.
What is Patience?
To many people patience just means doing things slower. This indeed is true in some cases, but it is not always so. The oxford learner’s dictionary defines patience as, “the ability to stay calm and accept a delay or something annoying without complaining.” It also defines patience as, “the ability to spend a lot of time doing something difficult that needs a lot of attention and effort.”
From the definitions, it is obvious that patience involve persistence, fortitude, endurance, tolerance and staying power. Indeed these are all synonyms used for patience.
To Bruce Lee,” Patience is not passive on the contrary it is concentrated strength”. Patience is not for the mentally weak, it takes inner strength and persistence.
Patience is more than just waiting for something. It entails the ability to wait without murmur or complaint and more. There’s no significant moral importance about only not complaining: if the wait without complaint is passive then it’s not patience because you are just being normal in leisure depending on the situation.
The process of Being Patient
Patience is not about just waiting and letting life happen to you. It is not momentary, but it is a monumental thing. The truth is that one has to work at being patience. Every human being will always have at least one reason to be impatient, but it is wise to always consider the possible price that one might have to pay for just one moment of impatience. Doing this is actually an effective method of learning how to become patient.
Patience is actually directly proportional to discomfort; it’s in this that waiting without complaint is accounted as patience.
Why Is Patience Important?
Patience is such an important virtue that it is also crucial in terms of contribution to the quality of other virtues. The following are benefits of patience:-
*Inner peace
– Patience enables you to attain inner peace: when you always learn to be calm and endure in diverse situations, your peace within is certain.
*Increase in chance of success
– As long as one is on the right path, patience will increase the chances of success in any endeavour.
*Maintaining Relationships
Patience in relationships is an expression of care which increases respect. It is not always easy to be patient in a relationship, but its dividends far outweighs its cost in a healthy and worthwhile relationship.
* Decision Making
Patience is an enabler of well-thought out decisions. This prevents one from making regretful mistakes and jumping to conclusion. It also helps in keeping one’s feelings and thoughts under control while also ultimately improving ones thinking / thought process.
*Achievement of Long term goals
Patience helps in keeping one’s eyes on the goal thereby helping an individual stay focused on what he desires to achieve.
In conclusion, patience is one of the most valuable virtues to be possessed on the journey to becoming a better person. It serves as an aid to other virtues and is a catalyst for great achievements.
References : Christianitytoday, medium.com, contentmentquesting.com