The Patience Bank
When people hang out with me they think I’m one of the most patient and calm persons around.
Maybe I’m way more patient than many, and I usually look for quiet environments and activities by nature. I know my aura and my energy calms people down and for the same reason, I need to get away from energy vampires.
The Patience Bank
Banks in Mexico for example are huge energy suckers.
Yesterday, it took my mom and me about 4 hours to get a new phone line, pick up a credit card and make a deposit. I crazy stupid, yes, stupid, how inefficient the bank services and services in general are in Mexico.
If you pass by a bank it looks like they are giving money away and that people are waiting in line to pick up their cash. Sadly, an hour wait is a standard wait time to make a deposit.
When I used to work in Mexico, I would love to go stand for hours at the bank to get out of the office, this was way before smartphones were a thing or covid made us wear masks. I would take a book and enjoy my wait. Now, I get so frustrated. And what frustrates me the most is that I really can’t change anything about it.
I got my online banking on my phone and usually make cash deposits on the ATM so I don’t have to wait for hours. This usually helps to reduce bank lines but I haven’t yet established a system to avoid the rest of the lines.
Hangry?
I, also, get very impatient if I’m hungry and I’m waiting for food. Either for it to finish cooking or for someone to bring it to my table.
When I’m rushing or being impatient I watch myself eating too fast and not really savoring my food or actually swallowing it.
And this is a huge sign for me to slow down.
What makes you impatient?
I think patience and impatience are both build on your head.
Either you want things fast and get reactive when you don’t get them, or you practice being more present and understanding.
You can learn to develop both.
A great way to be less reactive is to improve your time management skills and learn to set boundaries (like saying no, when you really mean no.)
Easy said than done, right?
Here’s the thing, if your running late and on top of that you been running errands for someone else, is easier for you to scream at your children or to the bank teller.
Asking for patience
They say that when you ask God for more patience it sends you all the uncomfortable situations to make you practice being more patient. Not all the lessons or blessings come in as a piece of cake, some of them take time, tons of slow breathing, and an open mind.
They are so many breathing tools and techniques that can support you to feel more present and less frustrated.
What I opted to do is to not try to accomplish more than one of these mission impossible tasks a day, because they just feel like a failure after a failure, and then nothing goes right, because I’m attracting that negative energy.
Yes, part of this frustration is me trying to move a huge elephant with one finger.
So I try to give myself enough time to make a payment or run an errand.
I take a shower and dress cute to feel good.
I repeat positive affirmations and send positive energy in advance.
Shakira or other good musicians travel with me. Music has the power to transform a bad day into a “dancing in the kitchen” kind of day.
There’s not a perfect solution, sometimes you have to laugh at yourself and the situation to support it, and sometimes screaming in the car also helps.
Apana Vayu is a great hand gesture you can also practice while waiting in line either in the bank or waiting for lunch. Plus it also supports a healthy heart, check it out here.
What other tools do you use to feel more patient and present? Please comment below to let us know.
Avocado hugs,
