"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 obesity 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 obesity or starting a gratitude journal. Don't let anyone (including yourself!) make you feel guilty for taking care of yourself.

Here are some conversations about patience on MyObesityTeam:

• "I am still fighting to get back on track with my calories. Normally I would say 'I can't do It, I give up.' But, I am trying to be more gentle with myself. I know I messed up and It will take time but I will fix it."

• "I am very slow at losing weight, but at least I am losing and that is what is important to me. It is not always easy. Life happens and we sometimes do not always make great choices. This will always be something that I must think of while on this journey."

• "Though I am pretty much a realist and know to get this excess weight off is going to take time, I grow impatient at how it's coming off so slowly and how hard I have to work now to make that happen. So am now trying to stay strong, patient, and keep a 'stick to it' attitude."

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 MyObesityTeam.com.