Tag: patience

creativity

In the pause: It’s time to be patient with yourself

Christa Avampato

Be patient with yourself. You’re getting there, wherever there is.

Right now I’m in the process of doing the equivalent of crate training Phineas. He didn’t respond well at all to an enclosed crate when he was younger but he’s making good progress, knock on wood, behind a gate that keeps him in the back of the apartment away from the door and the too-loud lobby of my building. Crate training takes discipline, patience, and time, three things I am also trying to give to myself as I give them to him.

We all want what we want right now. It takes time to learn a new skill. It takes patience to let ourselves evolve and grow into the very best version of ourselves. As hard as I drive myself to achieve and succeed, I also try to give myself a break and celebrate every once in a while. I look back on my life and see how far I’ve come from my days on the apple farm. It’s been a long and winding road. It wasn’t easy though from my view now, life is pretty spectacular despite the many difficulties along the way and the challenges I’m facing now. I can’t help but have this overwhelming feeling that everything really is going to be okay eventually. I’ll find what I need in every area of my life. It’s going to take time and effort, but it’s out there. It’s out there for you, too. Keep going.

creativity

Wonder: Be patient with yourself

Christa Avampato

“Nothing in nature blooms all year. Be patient with yourself.” ~Unknown

You won’t be at the top of your game every hour of every day for your entire life. It’s a balance. Sometimes you’re flying high and sometimes you’re hiding under the bed. Life is a wild ride, not a steady path. I spend a lot of time being very tough on myself. I know a lot of you do, too.

So as a reminder to us all, let’s remember there’s an ebb and flow to our days. Enjoy the highs and learn from the lows. Understand that it’s all a cycle, and eventually all we really need to do is take care of ourselves, take care of others, and do as much good as we can wherever we are with whatever we have.

creativity

This just in: Play the long game

Christa Avampato

I recently watched someone navigate a difficult situation with such grace and aplomb that I barely knew she was navigating at all. To be honest, I was irritated with her. She was allowing herself to be treated badly, piping up only occasionally when things really got out of hand. I didn’t get it. From my vantage point, she had cards to play and she just wouldn’t do it. And then something very interesting happening; she got exactly what she wanted. She had been maneuvering the entire time, behind-the-scenes and out of sight of anyone else. She played the long game, concerned more with winning the war and not the individual battles. She also knew well enough to let her opponents be their own demise. All she needed was patience.

Even now, I’m not sure how she did it. I don’t understand how she stayed quiet for so long. I don’t understand how she had such an unshakeable amount of faith in the process and karma. The funny thing is that if it had taken any longer, she would have continued to wait it out. She was in it for the long haul, as long as it took to let the path clear so that she could proceed.

I learned a lot by observing this situation from a distance. And I’ll admit that more than once I very directly questioned her decisions and motives. But looking back, I see now that she had been right to let the situation resolve itself. Yes, I certainly wish this outcome had arrived sooner, and I know that forcing an outcome often results in a disaster. Sometimes the waiting game is our only option. It’s not an option that’s comfortable, though many times it’s the best options we have if we want to change things over the long run.

I’m not sure that I would have pursued this exact path. I probably would have pushed for a swifter resolution. But now that this situation has unfolded as it has, I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next. Sometimes, the best things do come to those who wait.