Patience

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We are unique as humans. As an engineer, I'm used to thinking of how to make mechanical things operate faster and more efficiently. I see a problem, determine the solution, and implement it is a quickly. Drastic changes can be made to any inanimate object rather quickly. The human race does not have such luxury. Should we want to learn something new we much make small changes over time, often years. The same applies to our bodies, our emotions, and our relationships. Progress is rather slow.

I'm a computer engineer by trade. Everyday I see how computers and the programs I develop operate. I understand the limitations and requirements of the system. From this knowledge I can easily make changes and know how the changes I make will affect the program. I'm used to being in a mode where the only goal is to quickly update the program to perform some task. It is straight forward and is done as quickly as I'm willing to do the work. It's pretty simple. Patience here is a factor of the effort I'm putting in.

The same is true for improving myself. Currently I'm learning French. I have noticed some differences with learning compared to my engineering tasks. I can't force it to go any faster! If I could I would take all of the classes in 1 week and at the end come out a master of French. The human brain does not work like that though. It needs time to process what I have learned and practice it before getting good. The "upgrading" of the mind is a completely different process than upgrading a mechanical system. The acquisition of knowledge is a far more complex process than putting new code into a computer program. This process requires time and dedication.

The dedication is similar to that of changing the body through diet and exercise. It can not and will not be done overnight. I wish I could compress the time it takes to change my body down to 1 really difficult week. The sad part about this is that I already have all the knowledge to change my body. The mind does not have to do that much work and still I have to be patient! Just like the mind needs time to recover and process what is happening to it, so does the body.

The same is true with relationships with friends or lovers. I was lucky to have a twin when I grew up who I could do everything with, and I still do a lot with. Our relationship has developed of the course of our entire lives. Then I have close friends who I have gone through college with and we share a common bond because of the time we spent together. The time can not be force, and instead has to come naturally. Of course this does not mean you don't work at it, but if you push to hard relationships can fall apart. And this is the one part of life where patience is perhaps required the most, simply because there are always multiple people involved and well, that requires twice the patience!

You do not have to wait to be content though. The only thing required for that is to be satisfied with the current direction that you are headed in your life. No one can do a 180° turn on a dime, so start making small changes and given enough time and patience you will start to notice changes.