It's no small surprise then that anxiety is the scourge of the modern age. Generally speaking anxiety is a persistent feeling of heightened fear and as many as one in four Australians suffer from an anxiety disorder or panic attacks at some stage in their life.

Left untreated anxiety impacts adversely on our physical and mental health. Social, work and study life are all affected.

So how do we protect ourselves from anxiety? By learning how not to sweat the small stuff. By deciding when to fight and when to fold. By taking a few deep breaths and stepping back from the problem at hand. By nurturing and developing the protective power of patience.

Patience is all about waiting or continuing to do something in spite of the difficulties being faced. It's about enduring the slings and arrows, the sticks and stones without complaining or becoming annoyed. It's about holding back rather than lashing out.

Patience is not a comfortable trip along the path of least resistance. It's hard work. And it's no mean feat maintaining composure when everyone around is losing theirs. But it's worth the effort. A patient person is able to make more rational decisions and therefore fewer mistakes. A patient person can benefit by taking the time to smell the roses. A patient person is a happier person.

It takes effort. It takes commitment. It takes focus - but patience really is a virtue