Patience is a virtue.. I’m working on it!
It’s been nearly five weeks since my hip replacement operation and I’m pleased to say that my recovery is going well. I have found it difficult to be doing a lot less than usual and I’m working hard to develop a more patient approach to life!
Patience is a virtue, they say, but it isn’t something that comes easily to many of us. If you’re not blessed with patience in abundance, it is a skill that can be developed. Impatience often arises in situations that we can’t control, like a traffic jam or waiting for someone who is late. So it’s better to learn to accept the things we can’t control and concentrate on those that we can.
We often can’t control our feelings about a situation, but we can control the behaviour that is the outcome of that feeling – beeping the horn in a traffic jam or shouting at someone who is late, for instance. We can choose to think or do something differently in response to a strong feeling. That is how we develop patience.
I hope to experience some of these benefits of being more patient:
- Patience makes us healthier: stress and anger, as a result of impatience, are linked with health conditions like high blood pressure and ulcers. Being more patient brings down the levels of stress hormones and reduces the likelihood of these conditions.
- Patience makes us happier: patience allows us to accept setbacks and enjoy life more, whereas impatience leads to unhappiness, irritability and a negative outlook on life.
- Patience makes us more grateful: patience and gratitude work together. Patience helps us to focus on what’s good and be thankful for it, and in return, gratitude helps us to be more patient, to slow down and notice the good things around us.
- Patience makes our relationships better: with patience, we can avoid getting defensive or irritated with our partners by making us pause to understand the other point of view before we act with unkindness.
So I’ve been working on my patience and gratitude for my friends and family who are caring for me. I’ve also been very grateful to be able to fulfil the Powertex orders that I’m receiving which has got me moving just enough to please my physiotherapist!
Although I’m trying to enjoy my enforced period of rest and recouperation, I’m very much looking forward to next month when I’ll be able to get back to seeing people at Artistic ReTreats workshops.
Not long to go now, but I’ll be as patient as I can!
If you’d like to order from our huge range of Powertex art supplies or book into a beginner or experienced workshop, visit www.artisticretreats.co.uk
Photo by Duane Mendes on Unsplash
