Curb Impatience By Practising A Little Gratitude

Curb Impatience By Practising A Little Gratitude

Are you the type who gets annoyed at a slow walking friend or a checkout that seems to take forever? Northeastern University psychologist David DeSteno suggests practising some gratitude to cut down on those impatient thoughts.

Photo by Antoine K

The idea here is really to remind yourself that whatever delay you think you’re experiencing that’s making you impatient is ultimately not a big deal:

Counting your blessings — even if they have nothing to do with the delay at hand — may remind you of the value of being a member of a cooperative human society and the importance of “not being a jerk,” DeSteno says.

That’s something I can try. On a recent stroll with my slow-walking friend, I find gratitude is easy to muster. I think fondly of her charming sense of humour, our fun outings, her support during tough times. As we walk, languidly, to a restaurant, I feel momentarily free of my sidewalk rage.

Of course, it’s not always easy to muster up those feelings, but if you ever find yourself getting overly annoyed with waiting in line, a little gratitude for the situation might just help.

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