What Virtue Are You?

We were out of town this weekend so today's virtue post is not quite ready. Oddly enough, I came across this quiz about virtues that I thought I'd share with you. Not sure how accurate it is, which is why I'd love to hear how you do!

http://www.gotoquiz.com/what_virtue_are_you

The results show your breakdown of the various virtues based on your responses. Those virtues include: Courage, Diligence, Discretion, Flexibility, Generosity, Honor, Humility, and Patience. (Refer to my last post to understand why I scored low on Patience!)

I scored highest on Honor, which came with this description: You show respect for all life and have great respect for your elders. You uphold principles and morals and live by the code. You stand up for what's right no matter what the consequences. You uphold truth and integrity and always keep your word.

I am a rule follower so I think this is pretty spot on. Take the quiz and comment below with your results and why you do (or do not) agree with them!!

Patience is a Virtue

Has anyone ever told you “patience is a virtue”? Have you ever stopped to think about what that really means?

I think I’m pretty patient most of the time, but when it comes to driving, I turn into a totally different person. I used to sit in the infamous LA traffic every single morning and every single evening. It would take me at least an hour to get wherever I was going (no further than 30 miles!) and sometimes two hours. I can understand the frustration in these situations. You just want to get there already! But these days I work from home so my “commute” consists of getting out of bed and turning on the computer. I might get in the car once a day, usually not even that often. So how is that I still turn into a seething ball of aggravation when I get on the road?!

I might be going just a few minutes down the road to the grocery store, get stuck behind a sloooow driver and find myself angrily grumbling about the dangers of driving below the speed limit. What?!?

Or maybe I’m entering the freeway and the lane is merging but the car in front of me hasn’t figured that out yet. “That guy’s clueless!”

How about when you’re behind someone who is brake happy even when there’s no reason to slow down or stop?! I’ve been known to speed up and get myself far away from that type.

And one of my pet peeves…leaving your signal on for decades and not going anywhere. “Hellooooo change lanes already!”

These are all pretty ridiculous (and quite irrational) reactions to very minimal situations. So what gives?

Patience, by definition, is tolerance and acceptance of delay, difficulty and mistakes…here’s the kicker…WITHOUT becoming agitated or upset. It is the quiet hope and trust that things will turn out right.

Think about it: eventually, we will all make it to our destination. And it’s ok that not everyone is as good a driver as me. (I kid.) Now let’s be clear, there’s a wide gap between maniacal road rage and “Sunday driving” and I think we should all aim to be somewhere in between so as to minimize irritation for all.  And now I’m not just talking about on the road…

Our world has become saturated with this idea of “instant gratification”. We want to be rewarded right now and when that doesn’t happen, “road rage” sets in. We are plagued by selfishness and mistrust so we look out for ourselves. And when someone gets in the way of our selfish desires, “road rage” sets in.

Wouldn’t it be nice to slow things down, feel less stressed, exercise better decision making, and develop some empathy and compassion? Yes? Ok, time for us all to practice PATIENCE!! Easier said than done of course, so now I understand why “Patience is a virtue”.

So here’s what I’m going to do next time I get on the road and feel impatience begin to boil inside:

•            Take deep slow breaths and count to 10. This will slow your heart rate and relax your body.
•      Give yourself a pep talk. Remind yourself that everything will be ok and that being impatient won’t speed things along. Do something to distract you from the cause of your impatience. Read the Bible verses below.
•      Settle into the moment. Accept the things you can’t change (we hear this all the time).
•      Think big picture. Will this matter to me later today? Tomorrow? Next month? Next year? Hint: Probably not!
•      Stop demanding perfection of yourself. Oftentimes, we are putting the pressure on ourselves and it’s not necessary.
•      Actively practice patience. (This is the hardest one!) Put yourself into situations that require you to be patient. The next time you go to the grocery store, get in the longest line. Instead of going to the ATM at the bank, go inside.

Bible Verses on Patience: 

“For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:3

“But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” Romans 8:25

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Romans 12:12

“And endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” Romans 5:4

“A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.” Proverbs 15:18

Leading A Virtuous Life

This blog originally started so that I had a fun and simple way to share my life and my adventures with my family and friends…especially if they don’t have Facebook! But it has quickly grown to be a creative outlet for me since I really enjoy writing, as well as a way to reflect on and share various thoughts and topics without being too invasive. I’m sure there aren’t too many followers but simply being able to put my thoughts on paper, look back on how my life has evolved, and hoping maybe I touched a few lives in the process is good enough for me.

Lately I've found myself reflecting on what’s truly important in life and wondering how people define and find happiness in theirs. Maybe it’s because I’m feeling “deep” and “mooshy” today or maybe because I really want to know and to help myself and others achieve that healthy, happy, balanced lifestyle…but I'm excited to say that I've come up with something new to share with you all! A study of virtues!

My goal is to use my life and my surroundings to connect to and contemplate one virtue per week. It will be a challenge not only for me but a call to action for anyone else looking to embody goodness and happiness in their everyday life. Look out for more on Monday!

Do Like the Cavemen Did

Paleo has become a PASSION of mine! And I want to share it with YOU! Eating paleo made me a believer of the impact of food on your body. Never before had I truly understood and appreciated how GREAT you can look and feel if you fuel your body correctly. When I first started eating paleo, I lost 5 POUNDS IN 10 DAYS!! I wasn’t starving, in fact, I was completely satisfied! And I felt great about building a new and better nutrition habit.

After a two week European vacation, it’s been a bit difficult to get back on track. SO…I will be holding a FREE 7 Day Paleo Challenge to get myself back on track AND to bring you with me! For those of you who are curious about how you can benefit from eating Paleo, I urge you to give this a try. You WON’T be sorry!!!  Please comment below or message me directly if you want to join!! Grocery list and meal plan is provided so it’s super easy to follow!!