52x52: Practice Patience

 52 random acts of kindness that each take under 52 seconds. One action each week, over a year takes less than an hour of your life.

Patience is a virtue, we are told. However, it is one which comes to some more naturally than others and in some circumstances more readily than others. Whether it is lacking in the road rage of a driver or the boss who's deadline has been missed or the shopper who has to wait while a price must be checked, patience is something we all strive for but don't always achieve. And for this other people pay. When, in the greater scheme of things, impatience solves nothing. The road is going nowhere, the deadline may be arbitrary and the price check won't be long. And even if you are in the right or feel wronged, why not extend a little kindness to others. In the long run it's kindness also to yourself, preventing the raising of blood pressure, anxiety and overall negative emotions and their consequence, as well as the spiraling out of control of behaviours which you may regret later.

Practice Patience: The 13 Rs

1. Recognition of triggers and avoidance
2. Reaction management and control
3. Relaxation methods
4. Reigning in of negative thoughts
5. Relinquish link of emotion to event
6. Relate to other person
7. Reminder to self of priorities
8. Rate importance of outcome
9. Realisation of what can and can't be controlled
10. Recovery of self control
11. Release of  self and others from unsustainable standards
12. Reality check – is it life or death?
13. Repetition of practice of patience

For more information check out:  Mind Tools' How to be Patient