The Gift & Skill of Patience

During the last few months, I have faced different situations that have challenged my patience. These include getting my new job in California, moving my projects along at work, and discovering whether a relationship is more than a friendship. Throughout these experiences, I have found moments when I push for things to happen or to develop. At some point, I may even feel restless, thinking I may be trying too hard without getting any result.
The importance of being patient came to mind, and I did a bit of research on what patience entails. We practice patience with people (when wronged, offended, rejected, or treated unfairly); in trials, inconveniences and when things go wrong; and with ourselves, our personal expectations, aspirations and weaknesses. It is a skill we decide to develop, not an inherited trait.

Patience is about delaying our response and avoiding implulsive fight, fright, or flight (escape) responses. The root words in Greek are:
(1) Makrothumia or long temper. This means delayed reaction to anger, wrath, retaliation, & judgment; and
(2) Hupomeno or to abide under. This implies delayed reaction of frustration, despair, panic, escape, isolation, and running away.

Patience is somehow a gift; and the Bible in facts listed it as one of the graces from the Holy Spirit. To have patience, we need to have hope & love. Hope is what gives us the endurance and the capability of delaying our response. It is about having hope & trust that God will take care of things and clarify the situation for you.

Why is it so hard then? I honestly believe that it’s the fact that we struggle balancing our drive with patience; our intention and commitment to achieve a goal and our ability to let go of the results of our actions. This is an everyday practice of balance. Here are a few tips I found online. Try them when you see things not going your way:
(1) Develop realistic expectations. Learn to expect and plan for things not always going smoothly so you will be prepared if you encounter complications and be pleased if you don't.
(2) Realize that setbacks are only temporary. Resilient people choose to view difficult times as temporary setbacks, believing that the difficulty will pass.
(3) Employ a problem solving attitude instead of choosing to be a victim. People who see themselves as victims seem to believe the world is out to get them, while problem solvers can clearly see what they can and cannot change without taking things so personally.
(4) Have faith that you can overcome a difficult situation. Be patient knowing that if you have overcome a difficulty before that you can use that as encouragement to get through life's ups and downs.
(5) Be aware of triggers that cause you to become impatient. If it's something you can change, take steps to change it. If not, then adjust your attitude and mindset accordingly

Source: http://www.ehow.com/how_2238712_be-patient.html