The Virtue of Being Patient

Hey guys,

Winter time can be harsh and I keep finding myself being grumpy and indignant. This season is especially cold and dark and combined with Corona it can also be ver stressful and lonely. No wonder I am longing for summertime. Winter cannot be over soon enough. But let me tell you, the more you think about it, the slower the time will pass. My tip: Try and practice to be patient. Spring will come soon enough, don't worry. But being patient should not only relate to waiting for the time to pass. It is very important to practice patience when it comes to yourself and interacting with others.

On one hand you will definitely benefit from it. Whenever you find yourself in stressful situations such as as traffic jams, exam periods or stressful work days it totally messes with your mood and causes a negative mindset. However, just taking a deep breath and trying to be calm make such situations so much better already. Combined with activities which are stress releasing to you (maybe going horse riding) you can influence your mental health in a positive way. 

Being patient automatically makes you more understanding and more tolerant towards other individuals. You never know what they are going through and unconsciously adding to their stress and patience level might be counterproductive. Generally from what I've experienced, patience improves relationships and social interactions.   

Most importantly, your pets are being influenced by your mood. Our beloved animals are usually much more sensitive than fellow human beings and sense if you're stressed and not patient with them. And especially horses. If I have a bad day which causes me to be impatient and frustrated very quickly, I should not be even mounting my horse because there is no way the ride would be enjoyable. Not for me and definitely not for my horse. Practicing dressage or jumping or even doing groundwork is usually not a good idea when being impatient. In the worst case your horse cannot do anything to please you on such a day. Always remember that your horse is trying the best and even if you are having a bad day your horse is not purposely doing bad. It is always important to remain fair and if your mood does not allow you to be fair you and your horse should be doing a different activity. So, whenever I realize I am having a bad day, I just go out for a hack. It is something I love to do and so does my horse. Also, usually my mood improves once I am out in the woods and it's just my horse and me. 

Think about what you could do with your horse whenever you need to calm down and brighten up your mood! And try to analyze yourself as to how impatient you are and think about how it can be beneficial for others if you were less stressed and more patient. Because I think it makes a huge difference on how people see you as a person.