Patience is a virtue

Well, here it is another New Year’s day… The day when we are supposed to wake up full of resolutions and plans for the coming year after waving goodbye to the previous one. Resolutions are all well and good, I mean who couldn’t do with dropping a few pounds or exercising more. The problem being is that these can soon become a passing thought and after a day, a week or if we are lucky a month they are forgotten about until the next new year.

Whilst catching up with the Dorky Mum I came across her recent My Word for 2014 post and it got me to wondering as to whether there is a better way to make changes in the new year. A simple action of finding that one word that you will remember and strive to achieve throughout the year. That simple act of finding ONE WORD, just one word… it’s harder than you imagine.

After giving it much thought a phrase popped into my head whilst I was busy sorting through the mountains of washing ‘Patience is a virtue‘. It is something I can remember my Mam saying to me when I was younger, a phrase that I often find myself reciting when I get annoyed or frustrated.

To those who know me in my everyday life will not be surprised to hear my confession that I am not a patient person. Actually, I take that back, I can be very patient is certain situations but in others, the red mist descends and I become annoyed… very annoyed! 

Take work, for example, I can be increasingly patient when I come up against incompetence and being asked the same thing for the hundredth time. Part of me would love to think it is because I am good at my job and can grin and bear the niggles that come with any job, however, a bigger part of me recognises that I need said job and me blowing my top wouldn’t necessarily go down very well.

At home, especially when I’m tired I am my most impatient. I snap, I moan, I shout and quite frankly I am ashamed of myself. I want my children to look back and remember their childhoods fondly, with love and laughter not with a grumpy Mum.

So I’m hoping that by remembering ‘Patience is a virtue‘ when I find myself becoming annoyed or anxious it will lead me to a less stressful year and more happiness and laughter will hopefully follow.

What would be your word of 2014?