They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions…how about the road to patience?

I don’t know about you but patience is tricky. One minute you think you’ve got it, the next you’re screaming at the pilot like he controls the weather, you’re yelling at a driver who slammed on their brakes faster than you yelling “Learn how to drive". We all like the idea of patience. It sounds sexy, but is it something we really know how to find and practice? I think as you’ll see below - patience may be the missing ingredient in your overall health and wellbeing.

Patience and Stress Reduction

• Stress Management: Patience enables you to handle stressful situations with greater composure and resilience, reducing the harmful effects of chronic stress on your health.

• Heart Health: Research indicates that patients with coronary artery disease who practiced patience showed reduced levels of inflammation, contributing to better heart health [1].

Improved Relationships

• Marital Harmony: Patience fosters better communication and understanding in relationships, reducing conflicts and promoting a supportive marital environment.

• Parenting Skills: Patient parents tend to have stronger bonds with their children and are better equipped to handle challenges, promoting a positive family atmosphere [2].

Mental Well-being

• Emotional Regulation: Developing patience enhances emotional intelligence, helping you respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively in difficult situations.

• Anxiety Reduction: Studies show that practicing patience can lower anxiety levels and improve overall psychological well-being [3].

Physical Health Benefits

• Better Sleep: Patients who practice patience often report improved sleep quality, which is essential for overall physical and mental health.

• Pain Management: Patience has been linked to better pain tolerance and reduced perception of pain intensity [4].

If patience is something you struggle with, I think you’ll find a few tips below.

The Power of Patience

How do you develop more patience? The answer is awful but familiar - it takes practice. In fact, I would describe patience like some gorgeous quads or biceps a six-pack. Those quads or biceps or six-pack didn’t just show up one morning. That person clearly has spent countless hours screaming, grunting, painfully lifting, or crunching - to get the results that you see.

The same is true with patience. It comes along the path of trial and pain. We learn to be patient as we experience hard things. If we aren’t patient, we need to then experience more hard things. If you want strong quads, you have to squat heavy weights - there are no alternative paths.

I like the way it is described by James, one of the guys who followed Jesus around. He lived in an age where the government was oppressive. People were sick all around and didn’t live long lives. He saw his friend murdered. And after all this, he writes a letter to his friends about patience.

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your patience is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” (James 1:2-4)

I’d like to add that faith is the idea that tomorrow will be better than today, or that things will work out for good, or in a spiritual sense - that your confidence in a higher power is enough that the trials and problems of today are not greater than that relationship. I would also add it’s helpful to believe that this higher power - God - has your best interests in mind and like a great friend actually cares about you and your life.

So whether you’re religious or not - patience comes by trial, loss, frustration, sweat, blood, and tears. As we mature and experience life, we can increasingly stay calm and remember that trials come and go and patience is developed through them all.

Obstacles on the Path of Patience:

1. Time Constraints: Many people feel they don’t have time to be patient in a fast-paced world.

• Solution: Start with small practices, such as taking deep breaths during stressful moments or consciously delaying reactions, gradually integrating patience into daily routines. Or how about - thinking back to a bad experience and how it worked out in the end and finding encouragement that you’ll make it through this too?

2. Impatience as a Personality Trait: Some may argue that impatience is ingrained and difficult to change.

• Solution: Practice mindfulness techniques like meditation, reading, or journaling, proven to enhance patience and self-awareness over time [5].

3. Digital Distractions: In a world dominated by technology, maintaining focus and patience can be challenging.

• Solution: Set boundaries on digital usage, schedule tech-free periods, and engage in offline activities that promote mindfulness and patience, such as gardening or reading.

Takeaways: How to Be More Patient

Practical Tips:

• Mindful Breathing: Take a few deep breaths during moments of frustration to calm yourself and respond calmly.

• Practice Empathy: Put yourself in others’ shoes to better understand their perspectives, fostering patience in interpersonal interactions.

• Set Realistic Expectations: Avoid setting overly ambitious goals and give yourself and others the time needed to achieve them.

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I’d love to hear your thoughts. 👋

I’m always looking for feedback. What would you like for me to cover? Anything in the newsletter you like or want to see more or less of?

Here are a few topics I think you’ll love if you haven’t checked them out before:

How to Breathe for Better Health

How Self-Doubt Can Become Your Superpower 

How to Supercharge Your Sleep

The Power of the Sauna

Forgiveness May Be Your Missing Ingredient

-Jared

P.S. - This newsletter does not provide medical advice. The content, such as graphics, images, text, and all other materials, is provided for reference and educational purposes only. The content is not meant to be complete or exhaustive or to be applicable to any specific individual's medical condition.

1. Smith, A. et al. “The Role of Patience in Cardiovascular Health.” Journal of Cardiology, 2023.

2. Brown, C. “Parenting and Patience: Nurturing Healthy Families.” Child Development Review, 2022.

3. Lee, S. et al. “Patience and Anxiety Reduction: A Longitudinal Study.” Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 2021.

4. Miller, K. “Patience and Pain Perception: Insights from Neurobiology.” Pain Research and Management, 2020.

5. Kabat-Zinn, J. “Mindfulness Meditation: Cultivating Patience and Awareness.” Mindfulness in Practice, 2019.