The Value Of Patience And Perseverance

Brain Health Kuel Category Expert: Patricia Faust, MGS

Many years ago, I received a gift of Rune cards. What are Runes? Wikipedia (everything is in Wikipedia it seems!) states that Runes are the letters in a set of related alphabets, which were used to write Germanic languages before adoption of the Latin alphabet and for specialized purposes thereafter. 

Magical Powers:

Just what are those specialized purposes, you ask? This is the fun part. Runes have magical powers!! They were often used in magical charms for protection and healing. Over 3000 runestones were found in Scandinavia. Their origin is documented in Viking history as early as 100A.D.

So why am I carrying on about Runes? When I received the cards, I pulled one every day to see what the day would bring. It was fun and a great topic of conversation with my co-workers. They started pulling a daily card for themselves. Consistently, I pulled a card where the meaning was – ‘stability, doing the right things, patience, perseverance, endurance’. Now all these years later, as I look back, I see how accurate that prediction was and continues to be.

Something Was Not Right:

“I knew that there was something else that I needed to pursue.”

I was successful during that time in my life, but I was bored. And, I knew that there was something else that I needed to pursue. I moved around to other jobs that were interesting to me but lost my motivation to stay in those positions after a couple of years. My gut (subconscious) kept me looking; but, my frustration escalated. A change of my plans was abrupt. After a couple of automobile accidents I began to reconsider everything. So, back to school I went in my late forties. 

Finding My Path:

“Everything that I studied in preparation for my new career was really ahead of the curve of the norms of that time.”

I became excited each day about where I was going in my life. There was a big fear overshadowing me, however. I was in a period of my life deemed as my prime earning potential years and getting ready for retirement. Instead, my efforts to transition all of my knowledge to paying positions were thwarted. Everything that I studied in preparation for my new career was really ahead of the curve of the norms of that time.

Where I could see a need and address it was not even on the radar of my target audience. I was not even in my prime earning potential years – I was in my – no earning years. This was terrifying. My biggest fear was being realized. I applied for positions that I was more than capable of and had the ‘new’ education degrees to support. I was met with ageist declines. For the  most part, I couldn’t even get an interview! It was then that my Rune predictions came into play. I had to keep going. 

Patience is the strength of will to navigate the obstacles and challenges you will face as you work the process.

Perseverance is being relentless about doing what needs to be done for as long as it takes. You trust the process and you do the work.  

I am still in patience and perseverance mode. It may be like that forever. But, I know that spreading the word about the importance of brain health is critical for all of us as we age. 

Why Now?

Why am I pressing this idea right now? Everything changed for all of us this year. There is so much fear about our future. Many, in their prime earning potential years, are without a job now. Panic over how to manage the future is starting to permeate all of our lives. Deep down inside us there is a solution. It might not be that quick fix that we all hope for. It may take patience to find what’s next and perseverance to make it happen. Once you release the fear, then your life seems more controllable.  Find your ‘why’ (as in ‘why am I here’) and go for it. Patience and perseverance can make the unattainable – attainable.

About the Author:

Patricia Faust is a gerontologist specializing in the issues of brain aging, brain health, brain function and dementia. She has a Masters in Gerontological Studies degree from Miami University in Oxford Ohio. Patricia is certified as a brain health coach and received a certification in Neuroscience and Wellness through Dr. Sarah McKay and the Neuroscience Academy. My Boomer Brain, founded in 2015, is the vehicle that Patricia utilizes to teach, coach and consult about brain aging, brain health and brain function. Her newsletter, My Boomer Brain, has international readers from South Africa, Australia, throughout Europe and Canada. She has also been a frequent guest on Medicare Moment on WMKV and Cincy Lifestyles on WCPO.