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He who refuses to embrace a unique opportunity loses the prize as surely as if he had tried and failed.
-- William James
 

 

Thursday, February 7, 2019

Try a little patience

Some matters are genuinely urgent. Most other things are not, but there’s often a strong underlying pressure, from yourself and others, to treat them as urgent.

The trouble is, making everything urgent wears you down. Addressing every little issue like it’s a dramatic, life and death matter drains your life of real meaning and joy.

By all means, tend to the really urgent situations with your full speed and attention. With everything else, try a little patience, with a generous amount of understanding thrown in.

Take a moment to take a deep breath. Remind yourself of the distinction between what really matters and what merely stokes everyone’s ego, including yours.

Do you really need to raise your anxiety level just because a delivery takes three days instead of two? Think of all the good, enjoyable, fulfilling activities with which you could replace the worrying and fretting.

Soothe your own life, and the lives of others, with a little patience. Give things some time, and enjoy the time you give.

— Ralph Marston

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