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Patience means the ability to wait calmly in the face of frustration or adversity. It’s a quiet virtue encouraged by many world religions and philosophers.

Patience is one of the nine attitudes of mindfulness described by mindfulness teacher, researcher, and best-selling author Jon Kabat-Zinn. While impatience betrays a desire to be done with now and get to the future, patience means we’re focused on the way things are in the present.

Patient people experience fewer symptoms of illness, such as headaches and ulcers. Meanwhile, people who exhibit impatience and irritability—a characteristic of the Type A personality—tend to have more health complaints and worse sleep.

Patient people are less likely to experience negative emotions and depression. They tend to be more equitable and forgiving, have more self-control, and show more empathic concern for others.

Kids who did a six-month mindfulness program in school became less impulsive and more willing to wait for a reward. Adults who are feeling grateful are also better at delaying gratification.

Happy people generally do make more money and are more productive at work, but research suggests that once people earn roughly $75,000 per year, more pay doesn’t bring more happiness.