The snow is melting, the March winds are already blowing, and before we know it, it will be spring. In an already impatient world, everyone and everything seems even more impatient as the weather gets nicer. I'm just as guilty as anyone else of not being patient (long grocery store lines, bad drivers, etc.), but I have gotten better as I have gotten older.
As a security officer, you will have your patience tested quite often. It is our job to protect people & property; to do it, we will enforce company policies/rules/regulations. Even though we are there to keep people safe, nobody likes being told what to do, and that can create some real challenges for us.
Here are some great ways to be more patient with others and yourself:
1. Pause
The next time you find yourself impatient, stop and ask yourself if this will matter to you in a week, month, or year. The answer is most likely no. Let it go.
2. Breathe
Count to 10 and take some deep breaths. This is an old one but I don't think people count to 10. Count higher if ten isn't working.
3. Laugh it off
Find humor in the situation. Don't find it funny? Well, lighten up and look harder. Have you ever been really mad but someone made you laugh? You probably forgot what you were mad about.
4. Be Accepting
Accept that you don't have control over other people or situations but do have control over yourself.
5. Be Kind to yourself
Being patient doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a practice — one that requires you to be patient with yourself, which means cultivating self-compassion. Understand that feeling impatient is a common human experience and doesn’t make you a bad person. Speak to yourself with kindness and avoid self-criticism, which will only make you feel worse.
Being patient has been proven to improve our health, reduce our stress, and make us more pleasant to be around. Take your time and give others the time too.