We’ve all been there. A brand new morning, a new chance to move past the treacherous path of the week prior. Nothing can go wrong, except it always finds a way to leave us scratching our heads as to how a day that was filled with endless possibilities is now marred, and seemingly lost to the familiar feeling trapped in a hopeless situation.

As time goes on, the longer we carry these negative emotions that somehow turn into a form of guilt, it becomes rather difficult to operate at our maximum potential. Harboring events from the past or viewing everything bad that happens to us as an attack on who we are as individuals is the wrong way of approaching life. It doesn’t matter how smart, valued or important you may want to feel, what matters is that regardless of the situation you value you.

In order to move past the feelings of being shackled to negativity we must ask ourselves this. Is it worth giving the best of our time and energy to this situation? Often times the answer to that will be no.

That energy that you would naturally want to waste on proving a point should be carefully reserved and dispensed to more appropriate avenues. Instead of viewing the circumstances that we face as areas in which you draw value from, view them as tasks that once completed brings you closer to moving on to the next thing. Little by little these tasks begin to stack up and before you know it you’ll be crossing the finish line of your goal.

So how do we apply patience in the times that need it most? Personally I haven’t found a magic bullet, however I have found a few ways in which small details have made a huge impact.

Take a deep breath

It’ll only last a minute. The problem we face has an expiration date and it is up to us individually to set when that date is. When faced with a problem that seems to have a shortcut in getting us all riled up, remember to take a deep breath and let it go. Remind yourself that you are in control of the situation, and by stooping to the lower levels of your attackers that you would be holding yourself back from bigger and better things.

All hope is not lost

As long as there is life, there is hope. It exists at all times and flourishes if we water it. Life isn’t fair, but that doesn’t mean that we should just give up. Find ways to work through the problem, but first start with a different mindset. If every morning you wake up and view work/life as something that has you shackled, you will of course be shackled by your own thoughts. Our minds are powerful tools. How we use them is what determines our success at the end of the day.

It’s not about where you are, but where you’re going

It can become rather easy to get caught up in the everyday hustle and forget why we’re here. This isn’t the end all in life. No amount of pain or darkness will be able to keep us from our goals, as long as we push forward with tenacity and determination to never give in.

What are some ways you practice patience?

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