Patience – The Hardest Lesson We Keep Learning

Patience. Just reading the word might already stir something inside of you. Maybe a sigh, maybe an eye roll. Because let’s be honest, patience is not easy. It’s one of those qualities we all know is important, yet practicing it in real life feels like climbing a mountain barefoot.

I’ll admit it openly: patience is something I’m still learning, every single day. It doesn’t come naturally to me. And right now, being in my third trimester of pregnancy, patience feels like the main theme of my days. Waiting for the unknown, for the moment when life will shift again, brings up so many questions and so much restlessness. But it’s not only about pregnancy. We are all waiting for something, aren’t we? Waiting for answers, for change, for clarity, for love, for success, for healing. And that waiting can feel endless.

Why patience is so hard

What makes patience so difficult is the uncertainty. We don’t know exactly when or how the thing we long for will arrive. Our mind loves control, but patience asks us to loosen our grip. It’s about sitting in the space between “not yet” and “someday,” which can feel deeply uncomfortable.

And yet, patience has so much to teach us. It’s not just about waiting. It’s about who we become while we wait.

Practicing patience

The good news is that patience is like a muscle, you can train it. Here are some practices that I use (or remind myself to use) when I feel restless or caught in the struggle of waiting:

1. Talk to yourself kindly.

   When you feel your impatience rise, pause and remind yourself why this matters. Tell yourself, “This is worth waiting for. The timing will make sense later.” Self-talk can shift your energy from frustration to trust.

   
   

2. Keep yourself busy with what you can do.

   Instead of obsessing over what’s not here yet, channel your energy into something else. Read, create, move your body, spend time with loved ones. Fill your days with life, not just waiting.

   
   

3. Practice micro-patience.

   Everyday situations are perfect training grounds: waiting in line at the store, being stuck in traffic, listening to someone who speaks slowly. These small moments are opportunities to breathe, soften, and practice being present.

   
   

4. Use grounding techniques.

   Deep breathing, meditation, or even repeating a mantra can help bring your nervous system into calm. Practicing being in the moment is so important, it reminds us that this exact moment also has value. When we allow ourselves to land in the present, even briefly, the impatience softens. We remember that life is happening here too, not just in the future we’re waiting for.

   
   

5. Shift perspective.

   Sometimes patience is easier when we think of it not as waiting, but as preparing. The space between now and what’s to come is not wasted, it’s shaping us, teaching us, giving us time we might later wish we had cherished more.

   
   

You’re not alone in this

If you ever feel like patience is just out of reach, you’re not the only one. It’s not a skill anyone masters overnight (or ever completely). It’s a practice, a lifelong teacher. Some days it will feel easy, other days impossible- and that’s okay.

What matters is noticing, trying again, and giving yourself compassion in the process. Because in the end, patience isn’t about being passive. It’s about choosing trust, choosing presence, and choosing to live even in the waiting.

So next time you catch yourself restless for what’s to come, maybe place a hand on your heart, take a deep breath, and remember: you are exactly where you’re meant to be right now. And you’re not waiting alone.