Are you a patient person? Patience is the capacity to accept delays, challenges or hardships without losing energy or focus by getting annoyed or frustrated. It’s considered a virtue, yet you don’t have to be born with it; it’s a skill, and it can be strengthened. The more patience you have, the greater your emotional freedom.

Did you know that there are proven wellness benefits to being patient? Studies show that the more patience you have, the better you work with others, the less you procrastinate, the calmer your mind, and the less likely you are to experience ulcers and headaches. Patience can unlock greater potential for you to have a more fulfilling life.

Daily Mission

Make yourself wait. Instant gratification is so satisfying. However, research shows that waiting for things makes us happier in the long run. Start small: Delay checking your phone for messages or wait 10 minutes before reaching for a snack once you are aware you want one. Or delay ordering something online that you want but don’t need.

Be mindful of what’s making you impatient. Our lives are filled with places to go, things to do and goals to fulfill. All of this occupies space in our brains, and our minds jump from task to task and thought to thought. When traffic slows us down or a slow register line threatens to make us late, we automatically jump to frustration and impatience. At times like this, ask yourself, “Have I gotten caught up in the hurry? Is this slowdown a reminder to stay more present?”

Alice Inoue is the founder of Happiness U. Visit YourHappinessU.com.