Its difficult to live comfortably in the “hopefully soon to be” post pandemic era.  We are bombarded these days with mixed messages about what is going on with Public health no matter where we live, and this confusion affects every aspect of our lives.  “Who can we trust?”  “Who should we believe?”  When contemplating all of this, it occurred to me that we are currently all “called” to develop two key character traits as we navigate current circumstances.  We must have faith and we must have patience.

At the most basic level, the faith we are called to have right now is the faith that we will all is ok.  We will survive this challenging time…and maybe even learn to thrive. It’s an existential faith really, but where do we get it?  Where can we find it?

One way to call upon faith is though religious or spiritual practice.  That works well for some folks.  For others, developing faith might begin with a process of “remembering”…that is remembering what you can and do have faith in. Do you have faith in yourself for example, or do you have basic faith in your primary relationships or the ability of the sun to rise and set each day? Believing in all of these things is actually an act of “faith” so take time to remember the miracle of everyday life…every day.

Along with this…you might try gratitude, as this will strengthen your faith as you give thanks.

As for Patience, it can be challenging to be patient when you feel the ground literally shifting under your feet as you listen to the rules change about what you can and cannot do. It can make your head spin to try and keep up with it.

To develop patience, I would also suggest the practice of remembering. Try remembering all of the many things you have accomplished in your life and how it often takes time.  Remember the old adage, “All good things come to those who wait”.  Also, keep in mind that the ability to “wait” patiently for the results you seek, also referred to as the ability to “delay gratification”, is highly correlated with long term happiness, long life, and success.  Yes, it’s true. Studies bear this out.

So, take a moment. Remember all that you have faith in and focus on developing and expanding this faith. Then, be patient with your world, and be patient with yourself.  Give thanks for all of your blessings and dream confidently of better days ahead.