I don’t know about you, but there’s one thing I could use more of and it’s called patience. All too often my to-do lists for each day are packed full, coloured post-it notes are everywhere, and I have apps on my phone to keep me organized. This to-do system I have created doesn’t factor in being on hold for 15 minutes with the phone company,  standing in line at the grocery store, waiting for the person to turn already at the lights, waiting at the drive-through and having unexpected visits and calls from family and friends.

Are you on a mission to “get it all done”? Are there forces of nature that work against us as we attempt to conquer our lists?

Take a moment and consider the areas in your life that could use more patience and, if you had it, how would that affect you and the world around you? Wikipedia defines patience in part as, “Patience is the level of endurance one can take before negativity.” This could lead us to believe that by having more patience, we increase our level of endurance. To me, that sounds more like creating a heightened sense of tolerance. I am not sure if being more tolerant is the most positive approach. What if, instead, we shifted into more patience from a place of calmness and gratitude? What if there is a gift for us when we are waiting, when friends pop by, or when life just seems to be going at a different pace all around us?  One of our best teachers on the subject of patience is right outside our front door. Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best, “Adopt the pace of nature, her secret is patience”. The systems and cycles of nature have endured the tests of time. Each and every day, we can learn from nature through our interaction, appreciation and observation.  Take a moment in your busy day to breathe and be grateful.  There are opportunities every day to add a pinch more patience, for ourselves and the world around us.

Elizabeth Shopland is a horticulturist for Homefront Essentials Gardening, a Certified Solution Focused Coach, author and speaker, and the owner of Banyan Tree Solutions. She can be reached at 250-342-8978 or btswellness.com.