"A waiting person is a patient person." - Henri J.M. Nouwen

Argh! Have you ever felt impatient at a red light, or irritated at the end of a long line for your prescription at the pharmacy? You're not alone.

Patience can feel scarce when you don't have control over a situation. It can feel like heart disease interrupts your life and brings a slew of frustrations at the worst moments. Finding a tiny bit of control can bring us patience later.

Control might look like self-care: a walk around the block, getting up early for 15 minutes of alone time, spending time each week encouraging others who have heart disease or starting a gratitude journal. Don't let anyone (including yourself!) make you feel guilty for taking care of yourself.

Here are recent conversations from MyHeartDiseaseTeam:

• "Patience is most definitely something to strive for once you get heart disease, though -- patience in waiting to see doctors, waiting for prescriptions to be filled or refilled, patience with our families who just don't understand why we can't do everything like we've always done, and so on."
• "I'm ready to be healed and back to normal again. But I'm afraid there will be a new normal I'm going to have to adjust to. This will take time and patience of which I never have much of. But I hope to find it soon. "
• "I love going into the countryside and breathing in fresh air and walking away from the crowds! Just try to get out every day and tell yourself that you have been patient and get nature to alleviate your symptoms. There may not be a cure, but your attitude to getting well helps if you are positive."

Have you found ways to take back control and practice patience? What do you do to be more open to self-care? Share your insights in the comments below or directly on MyHeartDiseaseTeam.com.