The Art Of Patience

The Dictionary defines patience as, “the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. “

 

Patience is a skill that many of us could learn how to master better. We may get short with our kids, have some road rage, or struggle with other issues that make us stamp our feet or get frustrated over the little things. Learning the art of patience can facilitate more success, healthier relationships with others and yourself, improve wellbeing and much more. 

 

What is Patience?

 

"One minute of patience, ten years of peace" - Greek Proverb 

 

First, we need to take a closer look at patience and what it means. Patience is a state that occurs between an experience that you have and your reaction. Whether you want to be patient with yourself, with those around you, or with life, patience always seems to be how you deal with obstacles or delays in life. 

 

Those with patience will find that they can let go of some of the things that occur to them that are outside their control. This can be hard for some people to do. But when you are successful, it can help you to live a happier life because you have less frustration, anxiety, and stress. 

 

What are the Benefits of Patience?

 

Several benefits come with having more patience during our lives according to Medium.com. Some of these benefits include:

 

• You avoid health issues: Having patience can put us at a lower risk of heart conditions, anxiety, and depression. The reason for this is that we feel less stressed when we are more patient. 

• You make better decisions: You won’t rush into something because you are worried about it taking too long. You can slow down and make a smart decision. 

• It is easier to be happy: Patience allows us to feel happier. When we have less stress and anxiety, we can feel more tranquil and better overall. 

• You find life is easier: Your journey in life is easier if you can reduce the stress and just be patient in life. 

 

Everyone can work on their patience, bringing in more and helping them feel less stressed and happier. Finding the right tips to add to your life to have more patience is the key to making that happen. 

 

How to Become More Patient

 

Now it is time to look at some of the steps that you need to take to be more patient in your daily life. Some of the best steps to help with this include:

 

• Be mindful of your thoughts: While a situation can make you frustrated, you get to determine how you react to it. You can secure your thought before it becomes an action and turn it into something more peaceful too. 

• Figure out what makes you impatient: You need to learn more about your triggers and what makes you impatient overall. When you learn what these triggers are, you will be able to avoid them or find methods better deal with those things. 

• Show gratitude: When you show more gratitude in your daily life, you will be happier and won’t have impatience take over your life any longer. 

• Set short-term goals: Setting goals and celebrating your achievements will give you something amazing to look forward to and can help out. 

• Make yourself wait: When you make yourself wait and think through something, you will find that it is easier for you to learn patience too. This can be hard but is still very good for helping you slow down. 

 

Being patient is a skill that takes time. While it would be nice to wake up one day and have a ton of patience, this is not always possible. By following some of the tips above, you can add more patience to your life, along with more happiness. 

 

5 Powerhouse Tips for Using Positive Affirmations

You’ve probably heard that affirmations can help you be more motivated and successful in meeting your goals. But did you know that there are some ways you can supercharge your affirmations to make them even more powerful, even transformative? 

 

Say you want to lose weight and get fit. If your affirmation is “I will lose weight and go to the gym every day,” how does that make you feel? There’s a heaviness in the energy of that statement that’s not very motivating. It focuses on the negative aspects of your goal (the need to lose weight and the obligation to go to the gym) and pushes the goal out into an indefinite future. 

 

You can use these five steps to turn your affirmations around and make them high energy and motivating. 

 

1. Make your affirmations active

 

Using active verbs keeps the energy upbeat and your focus in the present moment. So now your affirmation starts “I am [positive verb] …”

 

2. Include Positive Emotions

 

Think of how you want to feel when you reach your goal. Are you happy? Proud of yourself? Relaxed? Grateful? Make sure your affirmation makes you feel good when you say it out loud. 

 

3. Keep it Short

 

Make your affirmations brief and memorable. Concise, focused statements are easier to remember. 

 

4. Stay in the Present

 

Your affirmation should always be in the present tense. Make sure you use “I am” rather than “I will” statements. 

 

5. Keep it Positive

 

Focus on what you want, not what you don’t want. Think of the positive result you want to achieve. 

 

6. Switch up Your Affirmations

 

Have a look at your current affirmations and see if they are working as well as they could be. In the example above, you could refurbish it into something genuinely motivational. 

 

Instead of “I will lose weight and go to the gym every day,” let’s make it something that will make you feel good. 

 

“I am enjoying getting slimmer and fitter every day.”

 

“I am feeling stronger and healthier by choosing a healthier lifestyle.” 

 

“I am joyfully and easily helping my body to get stronger and slimmer every day.”

 

Play around with the words until they feel right for you. Just keep your affirmation in the present, focused on what you want and what feels good. 

 

Repeat your affirmations at least three times a day and look forward to manifesting the life you want. 

 

What are Positive Affirmations?

You’ve probably seen positive affirmations across social media, posters, and cards. They’re all over Facebook and Instagram, and they can seem a little cheesy sometimes. But did you know that positive affirmations can actually be powerful tools for change? 

What are Affirmations? And How do They Work?

 

Simply put, affirmations are anything you say or think. They make up a large part of the mind-talk that everyone has running in their heads all the time. We all use affirmations, though we don’t do it consciously. This allows our default, negative thoughts to run our lives. 

 

Think about the messages that are part of your regular self-talk. Do you have kind, positive, encouraging self-talk, or does your Inner Critic dominate with harsh words of criticism? Many of your messages will have been seeded during your childhood. Were you encouraged and supported to give it your best shot, or were you told you were lazy, or no good? Those messages are still affecting your current mindset. 

 

Whether you have a positive or a negative script running through your mind, those thoughts and beliefs shape your reality. Negative thoughts feed self-doubt and discourage you from trying to reach your full potential. If you believe you’re no good at giving presentations, you’re not going to feel confident enough to give it your all. 

Change up Your Self-Talk

 

The good news is that you can change your self-talk by choosing to use positive affirmations to rewire your brain to have a positive mindset. 

 

The process is pretty straightforward if you stick to some basic rules: 

 

• Always use the present tense. Your brain reacts in the moment, so make that moment as positive as you can. 

• Keep it positive and simple. Saying short, positive phrases like ‘I am calm’ is much more effective than telling yourself, “I mustn’t get upset.’

• Use repetition. If you repeat your affirmations regularly and consistently, you will strengthen those neural pathways in the brain. Your habitual patterns of thought and belief will become more positive. Try to repeat your chosen affirmations three times a day for at least five minutes. 

Choose to Change your Life

 

You have the power to choose your life experience. Whatever you tell yourself affirms that you want to have more of it in your life. So, if you’re angry or resentful, you’re setting yourself up for more of that in your life. If you’re confident and hopeful, if you expect things to go well, then that’s precisely what will happen. 

 

You can choose to feel good and positive about your life. Using conscious affirmations is a great way to start making those positive changes today. 

5 Ways To Endure Difficult Times

No one’s life is easy–no one! It’s true that some people seem to have it easier than others. Yet, you can bet they’re suffering from one thing or another.

 

That’s why we should all try to refrain from imposing our personal views or jumping to conclusions. Instead, why not try to be more civil towards one another and show some empathy?

 

We could all use a bit more positivity in our day, don’t you think? Even the simple act of smiling as you pass someone by can brighten up their day. That’s how closely we’re all connected!

 

While we’re at it, we should mention that smiling is one of the best ways to endure difficult times. So, if you’re interested in finding out more ways to help you get through the tough times in your life, you’ve come to the right place!

 

Let’s get started.

 

Be Patient

 

Our brains are hardwired to protect against all foreign and domestic threats. So, they tend to stretch out adverse events in our lives to make you think it’s been happening for a long time.

 

Yet, the worst part is that you start believing that the bad times will never go on forever. You feel like there’s no end in sight, and you’re doomed to lead a tragic life.

 

Don’t believe it.

 

One of the constants in life is change. So, whatever you’re going through—good or bad—will end eventually.

 

There will be situations that will call on you to act and help bring the problem to an end. With others, on the other hand, you simply need to wait out the storm and have faith in yourself. 

 

Embrace Your Weaknesses

 

Each of us has our own individualized set of strengths and weaknesses, attributes and flaws. The problem is that when things get tough, we only focus on how weak and helpless we feel.

 

We lose sight of our strengths and trick ourselves into highlighting our flaws. This makes us feel like losers incapable of rising above any challenging situations.

 

The key to avoiding this pit of self-doubt is to never compare yourself with anyone else. Then, remind yourself of all your strengths.

 

You can even make a list of all the good things you’re good at and hang it up. Make sure you place it somewhere you pass by frequently. It’s a great trick that will help shift your perception from feeling weak and vulnerable to feeling empowered and confident.

 

Be Proud of How Far You’ve Come

 

You can’t have made it this far in life without having been in one or two bad situations before. So, whenever you need a bit of a boost during tough times, just remind yourself of similar situations you’ve endured in the past.

 

You probably either overcame the situation or didn’t. Either way, you came out having learned something and gained life experience.

 

It’s a great confidence booster to remember how well you managed to navigate difficult times and handle challenges with ease. It’ll also help shift your attitude from a sense of helplessness to feeling motivated to take action and do what needs to get done.

 

Practice Gratitude

 

We started the article by saying that everyone goes through hard times in their life. That’s a given. But the difference between those who land on their feet and those who live a life of gloom is gratitude.

 

No matter how difficult things might be right now, there will always be a dozen other things going well in your life.

 

Is your relationship on the rocks? Be happy that you have a steady job, have a roof over your head, and can put food on the table.

 

Are you having problems at work? Be thankful for your health, family, and friends.

Then, there are all the little things we tend to take for granted, like beautiful sunsets, relaxing walks in the park, and delicious coffee. Change your perspective, and you’ll realize that things aren’t really that bad after all.

 

Learn from Your Experiences

 

Life coaches, psychologists, and therapists all agree that there's no failure when it comes to personal development. There’s only your interpretation of the events and how you react to them.

 

Sounds simple enough, right? Yes! But as soon as you’re faced with a problem, all that wisdom flies out of the window.

 

This comes from years of being programmed that failure is a big flashing bulb telling us we’re not doing something right, causing us to steer off course. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. In fact, everything we now do so well came from a trial-and-error process, like walking, typing, and driving.

 

What you should do is try to figure out why this is happening. Then, use this experience to learn more about likes and dislikes, weaknesses and strengths. Eventually, you’ll be able to turn things around.

 

You're Not Guaranteed Another Minute, and That's Beautiful

No one is guaranteed a certain amount of time on this planet. There are 24 hours in a day, but not one of them is promised to you. You aren't guaranteed to see the ending of a movie just because you've made it up to the climax.

 

Truth be told, you can't be sure you'll be existing 60 seconds from now.

 

You're probably thinking that this is a dismal and negative picture we're painting. Please don't believe that. There is incredible beauty found in this idea if you let it come to light.

 

It's something that we often learn later in life. We suffer a devastating loss, and we look back on our past. Perhaps a friend or family member passes away. We think about all the things we wish we would've told that person. 

 

Regret often accompanies the loss of a loved one. The wise person will let that regret pass. They begin to think of all the wonderful memories created with the person that's no longer in their life. They smile and get good feelings reminiscing that way.

 

Eventually, our own mortality comes to mind. We realize that the world can change in the blink of an eye. When this happens to you, hopefully you never forget that lesson.

 

Embrace All the Beauty and Positivity in the Present Moment

 

The things you've done in your past, even the past few seconds, cannot be changed. For all intents and purposes, that means it doesn't exist. You can reminisce about wonderful times in the past and that's a good thing. But you have no control over your past.

 

The future doesn't exist. You can't guarantee the future, even a few seconds or minutes or an hour from now. Embrace that. Understand what it means. This natural fact means that you owe it to yourself to live in the present moment right now.

 

Own it. Experience it fully with all of your senses. With the knowledge that we're guaranteed no amount of time on earth, you'll start to see beauty everywhere. You understand how your entire existence is only one present moment at a time. 

 

Think about it this way and you'll make better plans. While your future isn't guaranteed, embracing this mindset will have you making smarter plans for your future. You'll take your relationships much more seriously. Embrace the present moment without guarantees of anything in the future and you'll start calling the people that you love and telling them how much they mean to you.

 

No matter what you do, you can't alter the fact that nothing is guaranteed in life. 

 

This may seem like a heavy conversation to have with young people, but it needs to happen. It can produce an appreciation for relationships and beauty and positivity that otherwise might not exist. You owe it to yourself to plan for a wonderful future. You should also give yourself the gift of being totally alive and present in the now.

 

The Benefits of Mindfulness

You have probably been told that embarking on a journey to become more mindful in your life will be very beneficial to you. But you may be wondering just what are the benefits of being more mindful. There are so many benefits to being more mindful in your life, some of which are explained below.  

 

Stress Reduction

 

If you are like most people in this world, you live a busy life that is often full of stress. And stress has proven to be both bad for the body and the mind. When you work on becoming more mindful in your life, this will help reduce your stress. It will also help improve other mental aspects, such as focus and efficiency, which are often impeded by the effects of stress. 

 

Better Sleep

 

Do you have trouble sleeping at night? Well, becoming more mindful can help you with that as well. Being more mindful helps reduce the number of the ailments which cause problems sleeping, such as anxiety and stress. So, once you become more mindful, you’ll sleep more deeply and wake feeling more rested. 

 

Improved Relationships

 

It can be hard to maintain relationships in your life if you lack empathy or are prone to emotional outbursts. Improving your mindfulness can help with both of these, as in one study performed by the California State University San Marcos, it was discovered that instruction in mindfulness both increases empathy and emotional control—meaning participants were less likely to have emotional outbursts in the future. 

 

More Fulfillment

 

Mindfulness can help you feel happier and more fulfilled. This is because part of mindfulness is learning who you are and how to accept yourself and your life as it is. It will also help you set more effective goals for yourself and handle any difficult situations that may come your way confidently. This means you will be less likely to be thrown off when something in your life doesn’t go as planned, and you will be able to move forward with your life with ease. 

 

Of course, these aren’t all the benefits of mindfulness, as the list goes on and on. But when you take steps to become more mindful, the benefits you will experience will transform your life in several ways, which will lead you to become a happier person who maintains excellent relationships with others.   

What Does Contentment Mean?

People may have told you at some point in your life that you need to have more contentment. But what does this mean exactly? Unsurprisingly, being content is something that will look different for every individual. There are a few similar attributes that content people share, though. 

 

Contentment Is Being Grateful

 

When you have contentment, you are grateful for all the things you have in life. And this doesn't just mean physical possessions. It also means being content with the people you have in life and less tangible things like your abilities and skills. If you struggle with being grateful for the things you have, it may help if you make a list of all the things you are grateful for in life. It would be best if you did this regularly. This way, you will have a visual of all the amazing aspects of your life, and it will help keep these things at the forefront of your mind. 

 

Contentment Is Living in the Moment

 

Living a life filled with contentment means you spend your time living in the moment rather than dwelling in the past. When you find yourself thinking too much about the past, it's time to try to let these regrets go. So, when you find yourself surrounded by friends at an event, instead of looking in your phone at social media and other things that happened in the past, you need to put your phone down and resolve to enjoy the moment, and whatever may come your way.

 

Being Content Is Being Happy

 

Above all else, being content in life means you are happy with things just like they are. Contentment means you don't need to worry about physical possessions because you know that you have everything you need to be successful and happy. If acquiring physical possessions is something you frequently do, the next time you find yourself wanting to buy something, ask yourself if you need it or if you want it. Chances are you probably don’t need whatever it is you are about to buy.

 

In conclusion, contentment means many different things to people, but in general, being content means that you are grateful for what you have, that you live in the moment, and that you are overall happy with the way your life is going. The road to achieving contentment won’t always be easy, but you can guarantee you will be happy when you get there. 

 

5 Ways To Be A Socially Responsible Person

According to the dictionary, being a socially responsible person means ‘working or operating in ways that aren’t harmful to society or the environment.’ In other words, when you acknowledge your responsibility for your choices and be accountable for your actions, you’re socially responsible.

 

You may not feel you’re not making a powerful impact like Bill Gates or Warren Buffet can by donating millions of dollars. However, you still have the power to contribute in your own way.

 

An excellent place to start would be to start reducing your footprint. Remember, our planet needs all of us to put in the effort. So, no matter how minor you may think your role is, you’re still making a world of difference!

 

To help get you started, scroll down for five ways you can be a socially responsible person.

 

1. Stay Informed

 

Always stay up to date on the events taking place around you, both locally and globally. This way, you gain a better perspective on what environmental issues need immediate fixing and what you can do about them.

 

Many times, we get sucked into the vortex of our hectic lives, and we lose sight of the big picture. By knowing all current and relevant information, you’ll start seeing the big picture. Thus, your actions will be geared towards things that can actually help benefit the environment.

 

2. Get Active

 

Everybody talks a good talk, but few ever do anything about it. So, why not be the change you want to see in this world and start participating in your community?

 

Getting out there and doing something is a great way to actively take part in helping out the environment. How about volunteering at various events to get better acquainted with your neighbours and community members?

 

Another idea is to attend community meetings and brainstorm ways to reduce pollutants. The more you participate, the more you’ll discover there are plenty of great ideas and opinions that can go into improving your community.

 

3. Show Empathy

 

Those suffering from a food or water shortage problem can be all the way across the globe. But that doesn’t mean you’re not affected by it, even on a small scale.

 

This is why showing empathy and being sensitive towards other people’s dilemmas are two of the best ways you can be socially responsible. It shows that you recognize other people’s pain and suffering. At the same time, it motivates you to build productive habits and reduce your use of some of the things that played a part in creating these problems in the first place.

 

4. Be a Responsible Consumer

 

Before you buy anything, find out where it’s made. Then, take a look at the company’s practice with regard to the environment, as well as their staff.

 

Another idea is to buy sustainably. This means buying products made of natural fibres that easily biodegrade and return to the ground as organic matter.

 

On the other hand, synthetic fibres may look fashionable. But they’re not biodegradable, which means they remain in the environment for hundreds of years, increasing pollution levels as well as greenhouse gases.

 

Also, try to buy locally as much as you can. It’ll go a long way in supporting businesses in your area while boosting the economy in your community. It also cuts back on shipping expenses. So, you save money while saving the environment from an excess of delivery trucks going back and forth.

 

5. Make Smart Decisions

 

Making smart decisions on a day-to-day basis means building good habits. For example, one way to reduce your water consumption is to turn the water off while brushing your teeth or shaving.

 

Reuse and recycle plastic products as much as possible to reduce the amount of waste. Also, take along a canvas shopping bag when buying groceries. You’ll reduce your plastic consumption and look super cool doing it!

5 Things to Remember to Improve Your Self-Esteem

Are you overly concerned about what other people think about you? Do you find yourself worrying about what others say about you? While it is natural to seek the approval of others, those who have a high self-esteem, and are self-confident, are able to discount the negative opinions of others and to remain assured of their own self-worth. 

 

Focusing on building your self-confidence can be made easier when you keep these five things in mind the next time you find yourself worried about what someone else believes about you.

 

1. Never guess what others might be thinking

 

You cause yourself much unnecessary suffering when you waste your energy imagining that others may intend you harm. You truly have no idea what anyone else is thinking. Train yourself to avoid making any assumptions about what others may be thinking - and train yourself to avoid making any assumptions about why other people choose to do or to say something - or to not do or to not say anything. 

 

2. Live your own life 

 

There is no way your life is "supposed" to be lived. There are no "authorities" appointed to judge the worthiness of your life. You have no responsibility to please anyone other than yourself. Be of service to humanity, but never be anyone's doormat. Live your own life full out. Live boldly with vision, purpose, and commitment. Establish your own life purpose, and live your own life. 

 

3. Make your own choices

 

Your plan for your life is the only plan that matters. Your parents and your family, perhaps your church and your friends, have plans for your life, but those people are mere spectators of your life - the life you get to live every day. 

 

4. Value your own opinions

 

Why would you consider someone else's opinions, or wishes, to be more important than your own? In fact, why should anyone else's opinions carry any weight whatsoever in how you live your life? Make your life choices sincerely and deliberately. Then never second-guess your own values and choices simply because they may not be approved of by those around you. 

 

5. Choose to associate mostly with positive people who support you 

 

You can't completely avoid negative people - there are probably a few negative people in your extended family and where you work. However, you can make the choice to limit your exposure to negative people, and to cultivate friends and acquaintances who have a positive outlook on life, who share many of your essential values, and who value you as a person.

What Are the Benefits of a Positive Self-Image?

With all the negativity that exists in the world, it’s difficult to imagine any other way to be. But the benefits of having a positive self-image are numerous. Following are some of the major benefits.

 

Get More Done

 

When you have a positive outlook, you are more likely to find ways that work rather than look for reasons why they won’t. If something doesn’t work the way you wanted, you have the right attitude to try something else without getting discouraged. If you eventually get a little down, it won’t last because of your positive attitude.

 

Get More Out of Others

 

Did you ever notice people who maintain a positive attitude? They likely have no trouble getting others to participate and are typically the leaders of a group. This is for good reason. It’s because they are approachable and will help you find ways to solve problems. And they do this without any complaints. There will be a few negative people but most of the group will be on board and helpful.

 

It’s Better for your Health

 

Positive thinkers are less stressed out, all things being equal. Even if they come across stressful situations, their attitude will get them through it much quicker than those that insist on being negative. When there is less stress in your life, you will naturally be healthier than those who are constantly stressed out.

 

You Will Be a More Pleasant Person

 

People gravitate towards positive people, even if it is on a subconscious level. It simply feels better to speak to people who continuously are positive. You gain more friends and they tend to be lasting relationships. Negative people may still develop friendships but they usually won’t last as more people realize they are a drag to be with.

 

You Tend to Be More Satisfied

 

When you solve more problems by being positive, you are likely to get more done which will get you noticed by others. This is satisfying as more will jump on board to people who show they get things done. In many instances, this can lead to more promotions which usually includes higher salaries. Yet, your positive attitude will show others that this is not your true motivation. 

 

With all the benefits associated with having a positive attitude, the right course of action should always be to strive to become more positive. It takes practice and won’t happen overnight but is well worth pursuing.