Patience takes practice.

For eight hours a day, five days a week I work with babies. Fourteen screaming, crying, pooping, peeing, slobbery, snotty, restless, squirming babies.

How do I do it? Patience.

Of course while my days are filled with all the crazy stuff above, they are also overflowing in the good stuff too.

Fourteen giggling, cuddly, smiling, precious, adorable, cutest of the cute, advanced, intelligent, adventurous, curious babies.

Life comes with its share of the good, the bad, and the ugly. How we chose to approach these bits helps to shape and define the way we view things. Patience in these areas can only be gained through practice. One day might be manageable, the next day - a headache, and the following day a breeze. No two days that are alike, but patience is a must in all of them.

What does patience look like? Being gentle, choosing kindness, taking an extra moment to breathe before tackling a job instead of turning into the Hulk. Using “the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset” as the dictionary puts it. In all aspects of my job, patience is key. I cannot do what I do without it. It’s nearly impossible and nowhere near as rewarding. Patience, however, in a chaotic atmosphere can feel strange. High-intensity surges through the room as dozens of tasks all seem to be a priority at the same time. How is patience the way to solve this dilemma?

You can just go to work and do your job, or you can do it well. You can take into consideration the atmosphere you are in and make changes accordingly. I am surrounded by young, permeable minds each day; having patience with them is the best way possible for me to communicate to them their worth. It isn’t always easy. I fail constantly, which is something I hate to admit. There have been days even this week where I’ve caught myself in the midst of stressing out, but the alternative is much more fulfilling. We’re not patient by nature, but we can choose to take up the practice of patience and begin to build up our endurance in the little things. Over time we progressively learn to be patient with others and patient with ourselves. It takes time, but it’s worth it. I promise.