A more elegant word for the focus of last week’s newsletter, What Are You Putting Up With? is “tolerations”. A toleration is a condition that is allowed to exist even though it drains our energy.
Think about the things that you put up with: a wardrobe that doesn’t fit or complement; children who do not pick up toys or clothes; a spouse who insults or ignores you; a job you hate. Put up with these things long enough and it will become your norm. Ever wonder why you feel tired and worn down?
Or, like our kitchen; it was a slow, gradual process of the usual wear and tear and then hmmm…this is really unattractive. Tolerations can develop in various ways and can sometimes sneak up on us.
How do you become aware of what you are tolerating? The place to begin is to make a list. Perhaps there are a few that jump out at you: the junk closet in the hallway and the car with the window that doesn’t always work. Do you ever say, “I am so sick and tired of…” or “I can’t put up with this any longer”? Yep…that would be a toleration. There are also those tolerations where we believe it is easier to turn a blind eye, thinking oh, it really doesn’t affect me. Making a list of your tolerations will allow you to imagine life without them. When you can see how your life can be, those tolerations become intolerable.
What are you tolerating? If you are not sure, e-mail me and I will send you a checklist to get you started.