Ask anyone who knows me well, and they will tell you that I am not a patient person. I eat, read, and walk quickly. I can clean my entire two-story house, bathrooms, floors, and windows, within a few hours. And when my family moved this past summer, we were unpacked within a weekend. 

While my impatience may bless my family with a tidy home, it ultimately causes unnecessary stress and anxiety. Think about it ~ when we’re impatiently waiting for the next best thing, for someone new, or for that big break, our tunnel vision is blurring out the blessings that surround us.  I’ll share a few personal examples ~

1. Meeting my husband ~ I attended Mizzou, with over 20,000 students, during my undergraduate study. I was convinced I’d find Mr. Right in college; there was a frat house on every corner! However the summer after my college graduation, I found myself twenty-two, single, and back in my Southern Illinois hometown crying to my parents that I’d never meet anyone back home. I mean where would I? At the local bar, Big Daddy’s? Well yes, that’s where I met my husband…about a week after those words left my mouth. And my family makes me eat them any chance they get. 

2. Finding our new home ~ I don’t know about you, but the Zillow app can be addicting. I love looking at houses, but this past summer, I was driving myself crazy searching for our perfect new home. My brain was spinning with school districts and square footage, so I vowed to stay off Zillow and Realtor.com for an entire day in an attempt to regroup. At noon that very day, I received an email from Zillow stating that a new home had been listed in our dream neighborhood. We saw it that evening, and we were under contract the following day. 

I share these stories because they remind me that if we can muster enough willpower to stop planning our perfect lives, happiness will find us. Furthermore, if we can demonstrate gratefulness during those moments when we just can’t seem to wait another second for that breakthrough, I truly believe we will be rewarded with more than we ever hoped for. 

This year, I plan to challenge myself to manifest patience and gratefulness. Join me ~ life’s blessings are flowing your way, too. 

“Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.” ~Jean Jacques-Rousseau

Think on These Things ~ Natalie