How to master the art of patience

Patience comes with practice right?

Patience is something that I sought so hard last year, how can I give myself the space to let everything just happen and fall into place? When will I get to this life of learning, freedom to travel and creativity that I long for? I constantly challenged myself on how I could learn to be patient. Would sitting in a job that didn’t inspire me for the money and visa do it? Would enduring something I don’t really want make me patient? Should I wait for a sign about the “right” decision to make on where to go next? Or maintain momentum and see what happens?

All good things come to those who wait, or get off their backside and go get them!

None of that was going to help me learn patience, it simply made me miserable! No amount of deliberating made it any easier, I decided to trust my instinct and do what feels right. I booked my flight to Nigeria, eventually made the laborious visa application, paid the extortionate fees and waited. There was no room for error, if there was a single mistake on my paperwork I wasn’t going any time soon as there weren’t enough working days between Christmas and my flight for amends!

If it feels light and right then just do it!

The universe decided that I was supposed to go, my passport came back with precision timing. I headed off this curious place with a terrible international reputation, but some very welcoming faces at the airport.

Let go

Everyone is always rushing in Lagos, but few manage to make it on time. Every toll and traffic light turns into a tussle for a spot as far up the queue that you can get, to rush on quickly to wherever it is that the scratched up cars are heading. Paradoxically, nothing seems to happen with any pace! Appointments rarely run to time, there’s always an “i’ll just bath/eat/get dressed/wait for water/light/do something…” and then i’ll be with you. My favourite was “yes Ma, it will be 20 minutes” an hour and a half later our roast chicken was ready!

Lagos taught me patience on day one. A day trip to the mainland and the market saw some considerable wait times. My top tip for travelling around Lagos? Always bring a book or Kindle with you! Even on the busiest of days there will always be some down time waiting for someone or something. I like to make my time as productive as possible, so books, Babbel, brain training and audio books fill in the gaps. That and writing, Lagos has given me the space to start writing again.

I had grown afraid to write at the end of the year, I was so stressed about making the “right” decision that I couldn’t write. I was worried about what I was leaving, what was going to come next and how that was going to lead me to where I ultimately want to be. I tried to reach too much for the future and didn’t spend enough time in the present enjoying the day that I was in. Lagos forced me to stop, think and be grateful for where I am right now. Very happy and content, enjoying my work with good people where every day is different and making a contribution that has real benefit to other people’s lives.

Live in the present and patience will come

Then I realise that I’m here, i’ve been here for a while. This really is my life and I am really doing it, i’ve just been too focused on what comes next to really enjoy and appreciated it. I spent the last year in a place I really wanted to be, doing what I really wanted to do. Followed that with another stint somewhere that I really wanted to be, doing work I really care about with fantastic people. Every day was different and challenging in a multitude ways and I have grown so much. I am learning something new about people, places or myself every day. I am already building that life, learning what I do and don’t like about places. Meeting heaps of new people, finding likeminded and not so likeminded souls. Nigeria led me to the gateway of patience. For that I will be eternally grateful.

I just had to be patient for the lesson to come, the irony is not lost on me!

Baci a tutti x