Patience is a feeling we can generate like any other feeling, even when we’re wearing a mask that we’d rather not be wearing or practicing physical distancing. The feeling of patience is always available to us. It’s really a choice that stems from thoughts we choose to think about in any situation. Therein lies our superpower.
While our brains can easily get stuck in a negative spin cycle, looping on anger and impatience, we can always have higher expectations and ask more of our brains. The challenge is to ask our brains to come up with thoughts that generate feelings of patience. Try those thoughts on for size and see which ones generate feelings you would like to feel.
So, while it is completely our choice to feel impatient or angry, to disagree with a store’s policy or our state’s policies, the bigger question is whether we WANT to feel that way. If not, it’s completely in our hands to change it, and to feel differently.
Arguing with the reality of a situation has no upside. It uses up our time and energy, darkens our mood. Here’s hoping that we all may find an abundance of patience.
Dr. Roger Landry
President of Masterpiece Living
