be more patient

I still tend to fly off the handle on occassion, but I have found that I now am much more patient with people, especially those who might be a bit slower (in driving, walking, thinking, talking, etc) than I am. I can now sit back and listen intently to what they say. At shops I find that even when I am in a rush, I can normally get the cashier to be a bit faster by greeting him/her with a big smile and telling them I am in a bit of a rush. Has worked everytime so far! So I might be conquering this nasty habit one smile and one deep breath at a time.

I lost my temper spectacularly when I had to return the computer battery which was sold to me on Thursday and which was the wrong one. After sitting in traffic for two hours just to realize that the girl never checked the information of my existing battery against the product she sold me, made me see red. I (unfortunately) told her that she received a brain to use it and not just to fill the cavity in her skull. I stamped my foot so much that management came out to see what was going on. They were surprised that I was angry because all had been sorted out and I got the right battery – no-one seems to realize that it wasted a lot of my time because the silly girl did not use her brain or eyes.

I know I should not admit it, but after such a temper tantrum I felt quite good! But I should work harder at being patient in the future…

Part of becoming more patient will have to include a tolerance towards ignorant persons, especially those who form opinions based on their own bizarre notions of the world.

An aquaintance of mine is such a person – she always has an opion about my life, my divorce, my career based on her own ignorant (and rather out-dated) beliefs that women should be married or at least have some man ‘to provide for them’ (goodness me I earn more than the average man my age!), that one should have an 8-5 job that pays a monthly salary and that it is irresponsible to be self-employed, especially if one is a woman, that a woman cannot handle investments, and therefore there is just so much wrong with my life. When I point out that I am grateful for everything in my life both good and bad, and that I am very happy and content and that I feel no grudge against my ex, she gets annoyed and says I am not in touch with my feelings.

For this I really needed to harness all my strength and patience today not to be extremely nasty. It is necessary to remember that her beliefs are her own and that I cannot be responsible for them. I am however responsible for how she makes me feel… and that needs some work!

Upon reflection I suddenly realized that I am getting better at this. I cannot recall an incident in the past two months where I have lost my temper. It does appear to be true that when one is happy with oneself and one’s life (even if one procrastinates!!!) that one has more patience with others. I will have to give this another few months to see how it goes in the future.

with my landlady’s father who took it upon himself to ‘fix’ the electric board without telling me and making the current fluctuate all over the show while I have my laptop and TV and everything plugged in??? The thoughtlessness of it all just got to me. And the poor man is nearly 70… Why could he not wait until I am gone next week for three weeks to fiddle with things???

Of course now I feel guilty…!