Ways to Develop Patience

With the advancement of technology, many people expect their every wish to get granted immediately. When this is not the case, your patience is put to the test. You can either get stressed and angry, or you can stay calm and be compassionate and understanding. To avoid getting overwhelmed and stressed, teach yourself to be patient and become a happier person.

Change Your Approach

• To develop patience, you must first understand which situations trigger you to get impatient. Make a list of those things which trigger your impatience. Start with the least severe situation and work your way up to the worst situation. Think about different ways you can handle these situations and try to apply them when they present themselves again. For instance, standing in line at the cash register; instead of getting frustrated and agitated, realize that the checkout person is not perfect and that she's doing her best. Accept the imperfections of others.

Breathe to Relax Yourself

• Your patience is tested when tension rises. To avoid getting angry and stressed, practice deep breathing techniques to keep yourself calm. Stand upright and exhale all the air from your lungs through your mouth. Inhale through your nose on a four count and hold your breath for a seven count. Release the air through your mouth on a count of eight. Repeat this breathing technique at least five times to help calm yourself down and maintain your patience.

Learn from Mistakes

• Practice patience over the course of the day. Upon waking up in the morning, make it your goal to be more patient. Remind yourself of your goal throughout the day. At the end of the day, reflect back on situations that occurred that made you impatient. Think about how you handled them and how you can better deal with them when they reoccur. Repeat this exercise daily and eventually you are able to tolerate more and become more patient.

Take a Time Out

• If a stressful situation occurs, avoid getting upset and frustrated, and walk away. Take a step back and slowly count to 10 in your head. Counting to 10 slows you down and keeps you from acting on an impulse. After counting to 10, visualize the situation and the different ways you can deal with it. Choose the behavior that shows the most understanding for the situation. Approaching stressful situations in this manner gradually helps develop your patience.