Last week I was in line at my credit union when the gentleman in front of me, who was not a member, was trying to cash a check. Because of the situation it was taking the teller forever to take care of all the paperwork required. She was the only one working and with each passing minute my patience was wearing thin. I had so many more errands to run and I needed to be home by 2 p.m. for an important phone call from my father-in-law's doctor and all I could do was wait. I had no choice but to wait, but I will say it was one of those ultimate tests in patience, that's for sure.

I recently read that impatience is due to our lack of control of the situation we find ourselves in, therefore when we are confronted with a situation in which we have no control our patience is definitely being put to the test.

Talk about an AHA! moment. When I read this short snippet it was as if a light bulb went off. At that moment I realized my impatience was responsible for so many of my failed attempts about changing who I was. In the past when I failed to see results with my weight loss, running or even the ability to take on a new task, it was easier to throw in the towel than to push through and accomplish my goals.

Patience is about learning to endure through those times when we have no control. I could not control the rate at which I lost the weight, but I could control my nutrition and exercise, both of which allowed me to reach my goal.

What I have discovered is that there is little in my life that I can control. I can't control how others treat me, but I am in control in how I respond to their actions. I cannot not control how quickly my body adapts to my various running distances, however, I am in control in the number of days I run and the amount of recovery I give my body so that eventually I will be able to run longer distances.

Developing the patience it takes to get through life's trials is something I am definitely working on. Sometimes just practicing deep breathing is all it takes to get me back to center, but I do know that every trial that I am confronted with is one that brings me closer to whom I am meant to be.

Are you a patient person? What are some of the things you do to tackle the impatience in your life? What aspect of your life's journey are you most impatient with?