"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
*Patience strengthens character and protects us from committing rash, foolish acts.
*Patience protects us from all sorts of grief, bringing us peace, stability, and contentment.
*Patience helps us have a calm, trusting heart.
*Patience leads to better physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
With all those perks, you'd think we'd all become masters of patience. Maybe you are. I am not. So I'm always on the lookout for helpful tips on cultivating patience.
When it comes to my writing and publishing life, the greatest tool I've found for exercising patience is to keep busy with multiple projects.
What about you? What helps you to be patient?
Here's my "easier said than done" method: (1) I take a few moments of my day to daydream about the end result I want, and feel how happy I'll be. (2) I spend the rest of the day focusing on all the good I can conjure up about my present situation. (3) Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Like I said, it's easier said than done -- most days a good ARRRRRGH! is the best I can do.
ReplyDeleteGreat advice, Barb. Thanks. I try to do that, too. But there have been a lot of ARRRGHs in my life lately. ^_^
DeleteWaiting sucks astronomically, but I guess at some point you have to decide, well, I have to wait so do I want to go crazy in the mean time or make the best of it?
ReplyDeleteLike you, I think the one and only thing that helps make the time go is submerging myself in a new project because at least I have control over my creative process. Of course, this week I've taken time off because my head was hurting from too much thinking. Normally my brain gets itchy to write after 72 hours of not writing, but this week, eh, not so much. I'm eating chocolates and trying to rest. :)
Pass the chocolate. . .
Delete"When it comes to my writing and publishing life, the greatest tool I've found for exercising patience is to keep busy with multiple projects."
ReplyDeleteDitto. ...working on something new is how I endure the wait. :)
Works well for writing, but not for house selling. ^_^
DeleteI'm with you Angelina, I keep myself busy juggling projects.
ReplyDeleteLovely picture :) The sun is out today, finally!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Thanks, Marie. Still raining here, but I understand the weekend is supposed to be better.
DeleteI definitely struggle with patience!! Having multiple projects helps with that!!!
ReplyDeleteIf only I could find a project that would keep my mind off the house!
DeleteWriters need endless stores of patience. The amount of waiting in this business is ridiculous (and I say that with all due affection! Luv ya, publishing! But you can't deny that we spend an awful lot of time in the waiting room!).
ReplyDeleteDistraction is my best help--focus on something else, start something new.
Publishing waiting feels like a breeze compared to waiting for this dang house to sell. I've lived here twice as long as I've lived anywhere in the past 20 years. It's like in the movie, CHOCOLAT. The wind blows and I get an itch. . .
DeleteGlad to know others are suffering as well ;). Waiting is probably the toughest thing about the publishing industry. My best advice is to just keep writing. (sing it like Dory from FINDING NEMO)
ReplyDeleteCheers. Great post.
If I weren't always working on a new writing project, I'd go insane. Truly. As I mentioned above, waiting for our house to sell has been the most grueling test of my patience EVER!!!
DeleteIt's hard to wait for things to happen. I usually try to keep busy as well; doesn't always keep my mind off impatience, but at least I'm doing something!
ReplyDeleteKeeping busy seems to be the best remedy. ^_^
DeleteI'm not! I wish I were. Like you, we tried to sell our house forever. It was horrible, expecially because we had to move and pay rent at another place until we sold. It sat on the market for over a year and there wasn't one single day I was patient about it. So these quotes of yours really really help me:)
ReplyDeleteWaiting for a house to sell is the worst! Makes waiting for things to happen in the publishing world seem like child's play. ^_^
DeleteI'm not known as a patient person. ;)
ReplyDeleteIt takes deep breaths and deliberate thought to stay patient... or distraction. :)
Distraction works best for me. ^_^
DeleteI am so lacking when it comes to having patience. I find this to be a very big drawback in life. :) Whenever I realize that my nerves are going from frayed to completely destroyed, I find taking a long way seems to help. Somehow, connecting with nature seems to infuse me with positive energy and I return home fully rejuvenated. The problem, of couse, is how to stay that way! :)
ReplyDeleteIf only that peaceful "after a walk" feeling would last forever!
DeleteI'm a patient person so waiting doesn't normally bother me. I do have expectations on how long things SHOULD take, though. That said, when impatience takes hold, I just keep busy.
ReplyDeleteIt's so good to see you, Dawn. You're the first patient person to comment. I knew there had to be at least one out there. ^_^
DeleteOh gawd, even hearing the word patience makes me frustrated and jittery. lolol I'm Type A to the max, but there are moments - like today when I sat outside for breakfast and a hummingbird came to visit that I'm absolutely fixated in the moment and at peace.
ReplyDeleteYou made me laugh out loud. ^_^ Being fixated in the moment and at peace--I like that.
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