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.