“Patience is a skill that reveals itself in new ways with each experience. I am willing to learn new levels of patience and to anchor into patience even in challenging moments.

It takes patience to be a patient.

I am patient.”

*from Finding the Well in Wellness Cards, by Juli Conard, Art by Faith Myers

Patience is an interesting creature all on its own. It is layered and comes with its own unique challenges. It’s closely related to waiting but it differs in that there is a mindfulness to it. As a chronic multitasker, I’ve often thought that patience is a colossal waste of time. Hurry up already! Stuff to do! Places to go! People to see!

Here’s the thing. When we fall into patience we give our bodies, minds and spirits a chance to percolate on life. To calibrate a new direction or answers or expression. Our bodies were innately built to heal and help itself – patience gives our bodies the space to do just that. When we take the human hustle-bustle out of the equation (get out of our own way), we create an environment that allows for deeper connection with ourselves and the world around us. In a world that lusts for instant gratification, instant information, instant satisfaction, we must remember that the pieces of life that we most covet are the pieces that take time to manifest. Think of it like baking a cake: when the batter is in the bowl, you don’t have a cake, you just have batter. But with a little time, effort, mixing, baking – in other words patience…a cake takes shape before long. You simply can’t rush a good cake.

This week, we are encouraged to practice patience in our conversations, with our health and wealth, with ourselves, with our children and families and with the world around us. Be mindful in the layers of patience noticing how you show up in the challenging moments and the joyful moments. Let’s pretend that our patience is a cake, let it bake to perfection and then enjoy the sweetness that patience provides.

XO Juli

#findingthewellinwellness