Be Patient With Yourself

Be Patient With Yourself

Change is never instant.

Kaitlyn Ball
Kaitlyn Ball Jun 20, 2018
455
views

When you set a new goal for yourself or feel yourself getting back into old habits, it can seem easy to be discouraged. Perhaps you've been trying to change some aspect of your life, and you're just not seeing the results you've wished for. When life throws curveballs at us, we can feel like we've been hit with something major and difficult to conquer.

Change seems to be something that never happens as quickly as we would like; it takes time, courage, and patience in order to enact change. Changing some aspect of our personal lives can be challenging. Doing this can push us beyond our comfort zones and into situations that we never imagined ourselves in. Despite what our minds may trick us into thinking, these situations may not be as bad as they seem.

I find it easy to be patient with other people. I let them take their time and want them to take as much as they need in order to complete a task. Why don't I give myself the same compassion when I want to change some aspect of my life? Why do I seem to quickly become impatient with myself? Although it's okay to be hard on ourselves occasionally, we should also be able to be kind to ourselves as well.

Being patient takes practice and skill, and patience is not a quality that every person has. However, when it comes to our own selves, it's important to remember that we are humans and that we are not perfect. Becoming patient with ourselves will allow for more positivity in our lives, instead of constant harshness.

In my life right now, I am going through physical, emotional, and spiritual changes. Throughout my journey of personal change, I have let myself grow more and more patient with myself. I take small steps to reach my larger goals, but I haven't always had this mindset. A few months ago, I would have been disappointed in my progress towards my personal goals. But, after changing my mindset and realizing that I need to be patient with the change that is to come, I have celebrated any and all progress.

It's the little things that allow for more patience. Today, I ran a half mile further, wrote down how I was feeling, and looked up Bible verses pertaining to my current situation. These things may seem so small, but they indicate progress towards my goals of change. The small things often add up to larger, more definite things.

Increasing patience for ourselves in our personal and professional lives can have a positive impact. We need to take time to initiate change, and there should be no rush. After all, change is not instant. The people we envision ourselves being may be different from who we are now, but we will get there one day through being patient with ourselves and our progress.

Cover Image Credit:

https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-looking-at-sea-while-sitting-on-beach-247314/

Kaitlyn Ball
Kaitlyn Ball Jun 20, 2018
At The Ohio State University

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I'm Tired Of Letting Fear And Anxiety Keep Me From Chasing My Dreams

The future can be scary, but it doesn't have to be.

Hannah Fuller
Hannah Fuller Jan 23, 2019
189
views

Growing up I remember being an extremely passionate child. When I loved something, the people closest to me knew everything about it. I wasn't afraid of making my reality, often getting lost in a world of 'what-if's' and 'could be's.' Just like every little girl, I dreamed of being a pop star, a doctor, a teacher, a lawyer, a real estate agent, a pilot, and even a stay-at-home mom.


Playing dress up and taking care of baby dolls at age seven, walking around in my moms' heels at ten, writing songs at thirteen, telling people I knew I wanted to be a nurse at sixteen. I couldn't wait to grow up. My longing for adulthood made the ability to dream up any possible career seem second nature because I was fascinated by the endless possibilities that the unknown future possessed.

I am no longer fascinated by all of the unknown possibilities that life presents.

I fear them.

I dreamed big and often as a child, but I haven't in a while.

Recently I've felt detached from what were once dreams and goals. Since starting college and entering the world that is adulthood, my anxiety has acquainted itself with a voice in my head that tells me I am not strong or deserving enough to have the things in life I once dreamed about. These voices instill in me a constant underlying worry convincing me that I must merely exist to get through the day.

They are plaguing my mind with fear of failure and disappointment.

This of worry and fear of the unknown makes it hard to appreciate the little accomplishments that occur day-to-day. This worry and fear of what my future may hold have made it hard to be proud of the big things that I've already achieved.

Life is supposed to be about taking risks. I know this.

I know my life has the potential to be everything that I once dreamed it to be. I am only in my second year of college, yet, I want to run and hide when asked about my plans post-graduation. I am just in my second year of college; however, I have changed my major and transferred schools… twice.

It is a new year, and as cliche, as it is to say, it is also a chance for new beginnings. My New Year's Resolution for 2019 was to confide in one of those self-reflective, leather-bound journals that you buy off the shelf of Barnes and Noble. This week I prompted myself to write about something that I am afraid of with the hope to address and overcome it throughout 2019.

My greatest fear isn't spiders or clowns or being kidnapped. Although these things are all genuine fears I have, they do not overwhelm my day-to-day life. My greatest fear is that I am 19-years-old and am void of the great dreams and grand ideas that inspired me as a child.

I have become accustomed to expecting the worst to occur leaving me only slightly satisfied when things turn out okay.

Adulthood is overwhelming.

College is overwhelming.

Everything about the real world feels overwhelming. Will I be successful? How do I find my place in it? I've realized that I tend to place my happiness in whether or not I'm navigating successfully through the trails of early adulthood. I run away from chasing my dreams and setting big goals because I fear disappointment.

However, won't I be disappointing myself anyway if I remain in this mindset that let's fear and anxiety take control of my self-esteem? I have already experienced disappointment, hurt, failure, and heartbreak, yet, I've still been successful. I have already experienced happiness and success so I why should I be hesitant to experience it again?

I shouldn't be.

Life isn't fully lived when we act in forethought and avoidance of the 'what if's' and 'could be's' that can introduce us to disappointment and hurt.

While living life this way has gotten me far, has it made me truly happy? The best things to happen in my life have been those experiences that have been unplanned and unexpected, not the moments I had tried so hard to plan and prepare for. These experiences took me for a ride into unfamiliar territory that I eagerly welcomed.

Now, as we welcome in 2019, I am ready.

I am ready to tear down walls that I've allowed to be built around my heart out of the fear and anxiety that the uncertainty of my future presents. In 2019 I will throw myself into my passions even when the voice that is my anxiety tells me I am not strong or deserving, even when they scream at me to run away. I will remind myself that some responsibilities can wait because you need to take a step back and reward yourself for the hard work you have already accomplished.

In 2019 I want to be okay with wanting things, even the big ones. I want to allow myself to dream again, to lose myself in the world of 'what-if's' and 'could be's' without fear of disappointment and hurt. I want to honor little Hannah's ambition and imagination by relearning what it's like to live as an adult with that kind of passion and spirit.

It is 2019, and it is time to let go.

Hannah Fuller
Hannah Fuller Jan 23, 2019
At Missouri State University

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To The Girl Who Wants A Change

First of all, you're beautiful and girl, I relate.

Jade Alpha
Jade Alpha Jan 23, 2019
46
views

Every person on this planet has thought about what they would do if they could change something about their appearance. It may just be me, but there seems to be this stage of depression where you look yourself in the mirror and don't want to be you. You want that bright colored hair if yours is dark. You want your nails done and your makeup on point. You want to have the body type and looks to wear that one outfit you've had your eye on but just can't pull off.

You become almost overconcerned and overly-conscious about how people see you and how your image is projected upon the world.

Honestly, when you get to this point, there's really no going back. Some people are very skeptical of changing things when in this stage of itching for something new. They believe that as soon as it's done that you're going to regret what you've done and now you're gonna hate yourself even more.

My advice is that if this action that you want to do isn't going to hurt you or anyone else, why not? Put some thought into what you're doing and then go for it. Color your hair purple, make your nails into those claws you've loved for so long. Get a tattoo. Although, you might want to think absolutely thoroughly on that last one.

It sucks to live in a society where you feel like you're constantly being scrutinized and just aren't able to do the things you want to. Maybe you're too scared of the outcome. A little nervous. Maybe you grew up with people telling you to stay natural and not do that thing that you want because your body is a temple and you shouldn't disgrace it.

Even temples have murals, sweetheart.

Nobody can tell you how to live. No one can tell you how to look. Never be afraid of change just because someone else wants you to be. Never be afraid to express yourself because people have silenced your voice. Speak loud, proud, and often and you'll be just fine.

And hey, even if you do get your nails done a new way, get your hair dyed or anything else, that isn't the end. You don't have to stick with it if you don't like it. Just find something you do like, something that makes you happy, and always pursue it.

Jade Alpha
Jade Alpha Jan 23, 2019
At Auburn University

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