a Mindful : Today — “agreeableness”

Having patience means being able to wait calmly in the face of frustration or adversity, so anywhere there is frustration or adversity nearly everywhere we have the opportunity to practice it.

Yet patience is essential to daily life and might be key to a happy one.

Having patience means being able to wait calmly in the face of frustration or adversity, so anywhere there is frustration or adversity, nearly everywhere we have the opportunity to practice it.

At home with our kids, at work with our colleagues, at the grocery store with half our city’s population, patience can make the difference between annoyance and equanimity, between worry and tranquility.

Some of these science-backed benefits are detailed below, along with three ways to cultivate more patience in your life.

• Patient people enjoy better mental health
• Patient people are better friends and neighbors
• Patience helps us achieve our goals
• Patience is linked to good health

This is all good news for the naturally patient or for those who have the time and opportunity to take an intensive two-week training in patience. But what about the rest of us?

It seems there are everyday ways to build patience as well. Here are some strategies suggested by emerging patience research.

• We can try to shelter ourselves from frustration and adversity, but they come with the territory of being human
• Practicing patience in everyday situations like with our punctuality-challenged coworker will not only make life more pleasant in the present, but might also help pave the way for a more satisfying and successful future

Self-compassion, calm, joy, resilience and trust. The world needs more of these.