Patience pays
YOUR PARENTS, teachers and wise peers would have drilled into you the importance of patience a number of times. But, how many times have you lend a patient ear in your day-to-day life? Impatience is said to breed anxiety, fear and discouragement; all of which make you a failure.
On the other hand, patience transforms you into a confident, decisive and a rational being. Impatience can be the root of many a predicament. It may incite you to make hasty decisions, draw wrong assumptions and do the wrong things, ultimately landing you in trouble.
The antecedents...
Despite knowing full well the negative consequences of our impatience, why many of us are impatient? Is it a hereditary trait, or an outcome of poor socialisation or is there any other cause that turns us into an impatient mortal?
Stress has been found to be one of the primary causes fuelling impatience. The more stressed out you are, the more impatient your reaction would be to situations. Nevertheless, there is hope for an impatient soul. But, not all are gutsy enough to pull up their socks and get back to `normalcy'.
How to get over ...
Observe your body language, facial expressions and words for any signs of impatience
Try noting situations that test your patience; probably you can work on them
Notice people's reactions in your social interactions; see if they are feeling uncomfortable
Pay attention to your reaction to different situations, it helps recognise your flaws and how to overcome them
It's always better to know what triggers your impatience; it helps you weather the problem
Once you recognise the situation, calm yourself
Stress busters
Since stress forms the fertile ground for many a malady, it's advisable to get armed with certain effective stress busters. The following should help you tackle the stress-related problems:
It is beneficial to look for ways to de-stress ourselves physically and emotionally
When you feel a little hot under the collar and are ready to burst out, take a TIME OUT!
Take some time out for yourself - do exercise, yoga or meditation or read books, listen to music, watch television or play your favourite sport
Set yourself targets and decide the plan of action. Once you complete the assigned task, pamper yourself to a nice dinner or an ice cream. This makes you feel better and gears you up for another hard day
For the religious minded, a brief meditation and prayer relaxes mind to a great extent
There is nothing like a good hot water bath
Being an active listener always helps
Wait for the person to finish speaking before drawing conclusions. Try putting yourself in the other person's shoes in tricky situations
Finally, self-control helps you score better in the long run. A nice holiday away from the routine is the ultimate stress-buster. Work on your shortcomings. Believe me, a little patience works wonders!
SRIVIDYA
Srividya.hyd@cnkonline.com
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