How Many Times Is Your Patience Tested in a Day?

Most people don't realize the myriad of challenges and stressors that conscientiously track throughout the day. For many, this tracking isn't out of some kind of obsession or neuroticism, but rather it's a way of life, especially for those in industries where vigilance and attention to detail are crucial. Take, for example, my daily tracking routine—something that becomes essential for maintaining calm and managing stress.

Tracking for Financial Printing and Beyond

As a financial printing specialist, tracking is ingrained into my daily routine. In my office, there's a drawer filled with six tally counters, just for work-related counting. It's not just about keeping score; it's about ensuring that everything stays on track and nothing gets out of hand.

But why just stop at work? I take my tally counter everywhere, from job-related tasks to personal matters. I track on a weekly basis because it's more useful to see the overall pattern. Occasionally, I even use a pistage list, a French tracking method from the 1960s and '70s. While the pistage list is the paper version of the tally counter for multiple sets, it can offer a detailed outlook on daily occurrences.

Tracking Personal Challenges

To give you a sense of the daily challenges I face, let's take a look at what I recorded for week 14 in 2018:

Poids (Weight): 9 stone 3 (129 lbs, 58 kg) Douleurs articulaires (Joint Pains): 10 times Maux de dents (Toothaches): 13 times Yeux nervaux (Eye Twitching): 0 times Les crampes (Cramps): 5 times (associated with arthritis) Rêves vifs (Vivid Dreams): 3 times Money and funds: 9 times (money is always on my mind) Colère et rage (Anger and Rage): 11 times (very unusual) Faim et la soif (Hunger and Thirst): 11 times Tristesse et mélancolie (Sadness and Melancholy): 4 times Réminiscences (Reminiscences): 8 times (thinking about old days) Trolls et coquins (Trolls and Rogues): 24 times (mostly on Quora) Les fous (Crazy People): 1 time

Un Typical Day of Anger and Rage

On one particularly challenging day, anger and rage occurred 11 times throughout the day, all crammed into a single long day. The source of my frustration? Hormonally imbalanced Wall Street lawyers. Ordinarily, weeks go by without any instances of anger and rage. But this day was filled with unexpected and intense emotional triggers.

Another instance of anger involved being shoved unexpectedly by a foreign drunkard. In response, I shoved him back. The encounter culminated with him saying "Eff you!" and me responding with "You ain't long enough." That was the day that will be remembered.

Conclusion

Patience is certainly tested daily. Whether it's dealing with health issues, personal stress, or interpersonal conflicts, there are numerous challenges that can wear at one's emotional resilience. It's important to recognize these moments and find healthy ways to cope with and manage them. If you find yourself in similar situations, try to reflect on how you can improve your emotional management and resilience. After all, a calm approach not only benefits you but those around you as well.