“You get what you tolerate.” — Henry Cloud

When we tolerate too much in our lives, it drains our energy and focus, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and unproductive. Over time, these tolerations can accumulate, impacting both our well-being and our performance. By identifying and addressing them, you can reclaim your time, energy, and peace of mind. In this blog, we’ll explore what tolerations are, why they matter, and how you can begin clearing them out of your life.

1. What Are Tolerations?

Tolerations are not emergencies or crises, but they quietly take up mental space and drag you down. They can include incomplete tasks, unresolved issues, unmet needs, clutter in your environment, poor eating habits, or even crossed boundaries. They accumulate over time, and before you know it, they’ve become a heavy burden by creating frustration and exhaustion.

2. The Cost of Tolerating Too Much

Tolerations cost you in terms of mental energy, time, and focus. Every time you think about that unfinished task or those unresolved frustrations, it drains your energy. Being “low maintenance” or easygoing might sound like a virtue, but there’s a difference between being flexible and silently accepting things that are dragging you down.

3. Identifying Your Tolerations

The first step in freeing yourself from tolerations is to identify them. This might sound easy, but many tolerations become part of your daily life, and you barely notice them anymore. Ask yourself what you are putting up with in your environment, relationships, or daily habits?

Some examples of tolerations include:

• Unfinished tasks at home or work
• Cluttered workspaces or living areas
• Poor processes or inefficient systems
• Frustrations in relationships
• Crossed boundaries at work or home
• Bad habits like procrastination

Try writing a list of at least 25 things you’re tolerating. This exercise can be eye-opening, and even just naming your tolerations brings them into focus so that you can start addressing them.

4. Prioritize and Take Action

Identify which of the tolerations you can fix easily, and which ones will take more time or resources. By sorting your tolerations into manageable categories, you can decide where to start. It’s best to start with the ones that are easiest to fix. These small wins provide a sense of accomplishment and create momentum.

Over time, work your way through the list, focusing on reducing the number of tolerations in your life. The goal is not perfection, but progress. As you start crossing off items, you’ll notice that you feel lighter, more energized, and more focused.

5. The Power of Maintenance

Tolerations have a way of creeping back into your life if you’re not careful. Make it a regular practice to assess what you’re tolerating and take steps to address new issues as they arise. Make a habit of dealing with tolerations regularly, whether it’s by improving your organizational systems, setting clearer boundaries, or simply maintaining a clean and clutter-free environment.

Conclusion

Tolerations may seem minor, but their impact is profound. They drain your energy and focus, and over time, they prevent you from living a fully engaged life. By identifying, prioritizing, and eliminating tolerations, you can create more space for the things that truly matter.

Take action today: What’s one toleration you can eliminate in the next 24 hours? Whether it’s as simple as fixing a squeaky door or as significant as setting a boundary with a colleague, the act of removing tolerations can lead to a more peaceful, productive, and fulfilling life.

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