In today’s fast-paced world, patience can feel like a luxury we can’t afford. From instant messages to same-day deliveries, everything is designed to cater to our need for speed. Yet, some of life’s most valuable lessons are found in moments that require us to slow down, wait with purpose, and trust the process. Patience isn’t just about waiting; it’s about how we act while we wait.
A story that truly resonates with the power of patience comes from a personal experience of a terrible car accident. Picture a two-lane highway in Montana with the beautiful backdrop of the Swan Mountains. I was at a stop waiting to pull into the soccer fields to pick up my son from practice. The next thing I knew was searing pain, numbness, and shock. The EMTs estimated the kid who slammed into me in a large truck pulling a trailer was going 70 mph. My Tacoma was totaled and I began the unwanted and unasked-for journey of healing. Who has time for naps??!!
I quickly learned pushing harder with a TBI and physical injuries rather than stepping back actually slows the process of forward momentum. I had to choose to step back. During that period of slowing down, I began to understand that patience doesn’t mean inaction; it’s about allowing things to unfold in their own time, a step at a time. Instead of forcing solutions or healing, focus on small victories with daily practices of doing what we know will work.
Consistent action, even slower than we want action, builds momentum over time, whether in physical healing, business development, or in the pursuit of fulfilling a dream.
Patience is not passive; it’s a quiet strength full of intention that allows us to stay grounded in the face of uncertainty with humble confidence. It’s about knowing that, in time, things will come together as they should.
Patience allows us to grow through what we go through. It teaches us resilience and gives us the ability to adapt. There will always be moments when our personal or professional lives don’t move as fast as we would like, but patience gives us the grace to keep moving forward, one step at a time.
My initial accident was in August of 2020. After four long years of patience, I was so close to being fully able to do all the things I had before. In Sept of 2024, I was a passenger in a car that was in a head-on crash. This crash was nothing in comparison to the initial one, but it has been a physical setback. Purposeful and intentional patience is once again required. And from experience, I know the fastest way forward is to take the time it takes to heal well.
What areas in your life could benefit from a little more patience? When we trust in the timing of our journey, we often find that what we’ve been waiting for arrives right when we’re ready to receive it.
Brenda Niemeyer
Partner and Coach
406.270.8317
Michael Pellegrino
Founder
Resilient Minds On The Front Lines, Inc.
- Perspective: Shifting the Lens By: Michael Pellegrino - October 17, 2024
- Patience: The Power of Waiting with Purpose Co-authored by Michael Pellegrino and Brenda Niemeyer - October 17, 2024
- The Power of Energy: Turning Challenges into Triumphs - October 2, 2024
This article was such an inspiring read. Thank you for this Michael!
Thriving over surviving everyday! we, as humans, are made to thrive and not only live through life mindlessly
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