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The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us all a lot about patience, loneliness, and resilience. No matter where you are in your recovery, you have managed to stay alive through this pandemic. Unfortunately, many people have had problems with being isolated or feeling despair. These feelings are natural, especially for the times we live in. Sometimes, though, it is hard to be patient. That’s why this article is about practicing patience. No one is perfect, and many people work on their character defects a day at a time.
Life man seems like it’s going in slow-motion, especially if you’re following the lockdown rules. The hardest part of the COVID-19 era for most people is the unknown.
Modern society hasn’t faced a pandemic like COVID-19, but your grandparents and great-grandparents may have lived through several epidemics. You’re living through history! While that may not be comforting, it shows how resilient you’ve become. You get up and face a day full of unknowns. You don’t drink or drug. You do your best. For many people – maybe even you – this doesn’t feel like enough. People feel like they have had to push the “hold button” in life, and time is slipping away.
Patience is an important quality to practice when you have to wait in lines or social distance. Everything that was once easy to do now takes more time!
It makes sense that learning how to be patient can help bring serenity to anxiety-provoking situations. But patience is always something you’ll need to use in your life. You’re powerless, after all, over other people, places, and things. And when you’re dealing with other people, especially employers or the government, impatience can worsen your life.
Are you an impatient person? Are you quick to “freak out” or anger when you find out you have to wait for something you consider essential? Often people are impatient because they are anxious or upset about other things.
Here are some ways you can begin to practice patience in recovery:
Living with others in a structured, safe, empathetic environment can help newcomers build skills and learn life on its terms. Learn more about what sober living options are available to you by giving us a call.
Patience and tolerance are two spiritual principles that are encouraged throughout recovery. Patience is a trait that is very useful not only in recovery but for life in general.
When you first get sober, you will be a person who receives the benefits of patience and tolerance. You may not know how to act or need guidance at meetings.
Maybe you speak out of turn or on a topic that you have no experience with. It happens to new people a lot! You don’t know a lot about staying sober when you’ve got 30 days clean. So others might gently shush you and tell you to keep coming back! This is an exercise of patience and tolerance.
Instead of lecturing you, people with more time sober will help guide you. This can be painful for you, and you may slip up or make a poor decision. Yet the 12-step room will still love you and welcome you back.
Patience and tolerance go hand-in-hand; you really can’t have one without the other. With these principles, you can act with love and kindness.
For many people, especially in the era of COVID-19, life has slowed down a lot. Things that once took an hour may take a lot more time due to fewer resources. You may have to wait in a long, socially-distanced line to get your medications or even get into the market to buy groceries.
Getting sober and doing detox also require a patient mindset. You’ll also have to tolerate the detox period – and other people in there with you – before you can go to a treatment center to get your help. You have to accept every delay and appointment. You stay patient because you hope things will get better, and you’ll get sober.
You may not even realize that you’re patient when you’re doing these things.
Once you get sober, you’ll become more tolerant of others as well as yourself.
In treatment, you may have other people in a group that get on your nerves or share an experience that you can’t relate to. Being patient and tolerance means you listen anyway. If it’s the person who is speaking that makes you feel less tolerant, try closing your eyes and listening as if you don’t know them at all. Pay attention to the message instead of the messenger.
When you are exercising patience and tolerance, you can become more open-minded. You’ll also start to give yourself a break and be less judging of your own mistakes. All of this leads to more peace and serenity. Recovery is a beautiful thing!
Living with others in recovery can help you continue your journey while in a stable, spiritual, recovery-focused environment. You can live close to the beach while reclaiming your life! Get in touch at 760-216-2077 to learn more about how we can help.
