⏳ PATIENCE
“Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.” – Joyce Meyer
Patience is the quiet strength that says: “This will take time, and that’s okay.” In the ADHD terrain—where urgency feels wired in, where time is slippery, and where frustration builds fast—patience is a rare and radical act of self-kindness.
For ADHDers, waiting isn’t just boring—it can feel intolerable. Delayed gratification, slow progress, and interrupted momentum often bring discomfort or restlessness. But patience isn’t about doing nothing. It’s about staying with something, especially when it’s unfolding more slowly than you’d hoped.
Living this value means being gentle with your pace, your process, your progress. It means remembering that real change—be it emotional, behavioural, or relational—often happens in seasons, not sprints. Patience helps you pause without giving up, breathe instead of breaking down, and offer yourself grace when things aren’t clicking yet.
Patience is not passivity. It’s presence without pressure. It’s the ability to keep choosing your path, even when you’re not yet where you want to be.
🧭 The HOPE Trail Map
- Helps or Harms: Am I pushing myself past what’s possible—or making room to grow at my pace?
- Own My Values: I want to be someone who allows things to unfold—without panic, without punishment.
- People and Pursuits: Who models or encourages patience in my life? What practices help me feel calm rather than rushed?
- Enact and Evaluate: Today, I’ll offer myself (or someone else) one generous pause—a moment of “it’s okay to take time.”
⚠️ Trail Challenges
- Time blindness and emotional intensity make waiting or repetition feel unbearable.
- Perfectionism may cause shame when progress is slow.
- Urgency culture can make stillness feel like failure.
🪧 Trail Markers: Small Steps Toward Patience
- When irritated, count your breaths before responding.
- Break big tasks into small, manageable steps—and celebrate each one.
- Say to yourself: “Slow is smooth. Smooth is strong.”
🔥 Campfire Questions for Reflection
- What parts of me are still growing—and how can I give them time?
- When have I surprised myself with quiet persistence?
- How might patience feel different if it were rooted in love, not lack?
Patience isn’t just waiting—it’s trusting that what’s unfolding has value, even before you see the outcome.
