I was personally drawn into the profession of coaching because of its' emphasis on forward movement and making things happen. Temperamentally, I am not a patient person. But over the years I have learned that even for those of us for whom it does not come naturally, patience is a virtue that we can learn and nurture within ourselves.

Any situation that calls for patience is one that we can't fully control. So the first question to ask ourselves is: Have I done everything I can to influence this situation? It is important that we engage the issue of influence within the context of our inability to fix whatever is going on. Remember that we do have control over our own actions and responses. But, we have no control over another person and the choices they make. Once we can answer 'yes' to the question of doing everything we can, it is time for patience.

1.  Take a deep breath and remind yourself:  'making this happen is not in my power.'
2.  In a spirit of meditation or prayer - Let it Go. Release the situation from your inner grasp and into the hands of God.
3. Create a self-talk phrase that you can repeat to yourself when you are feeling impatient. A few possibilities are:
   • There is nothing else I can do ... so let it go.
   • Timing is not in my control...it will happen when the timing is right.
   • Impatience and frustration will not change anything.

As we learn patience we will become more empowered to rejoice when our winters turn into springs!