What are you tolerating?
If you are feeling a low level of chronic stress, you may want to look at what the late Coach Thomas Leonard dubbed ‘tolerations’.
The idea is that anything you don’t like, annoys you, or that drains your energy is a toleration worth zapping. It could be something as small as a burned out light bulb nobody has bothered to replace, or as major as an abusive spouse.
If your environment is too full of energy draining tolerations, you will find that you almost feel paralyzed. You may feel unable to move forward with your dreams and goals, and sometimes even just tasks of everyday living. You may find yourself just living, but not feeling alive.
Tolerations are personal. What you find draining may be energizing and positive for someone else.
If you choose not to eliminate a toleration, but instead come to a state of acceptance about it, it is no longer considered a toleration. For example, you may have a long commute to work and decide it isn’t feasible to change jobs or move. So instead, you decide to make your commute a time to enjoy audio books or quiet time instead of crabbing.
What I’ve noticed though, is that even when I finally decide to eliminate tolerations I thought I accepted, I feel a great sense of relief.
Thomas Leonard created a master list of 1001 things to stop tolerating. I copied 10 of those tolerations to share with you here so you get an idea of what a toleration is. Keep in mind though, that a toleration can be anything – whether it’s on the list or not.
- My desk is full of stacks of papers
- My wallpaper is peeling in the bathroom
- I am 15 pounds overweight.
- I am tolerating my lack of creative outlet.
- I am tolerating the inanity of television newscasts.
- Mildew on the plastic shower curtain.
- Having chin hairs like an old lady when I’m in my late 30′s.
- Having gotten very good at acting patient and hating every minute of it.
- Feeling like I don’t really have time to do pointless things that are just fun.
- I have no reserve of income.
- And… #11…Incompletions like broken promises and unfinished tasks.
Your challenge is to zap three of your tolerations in the next two weeks. Toleration Zapping is one of the most energizing things you can do. Just imagine your life without those annoyances you have been putting up with for too long.
Make a plan, set aside some time and just do it. Even getting the momentum going on longer term ‘projects’ will get your energy going and feel great. You’ll be glad you put this stress-busting idea to work for you.
So, what are your three tolerations? Share them below. What is your plan to zap them?
1. My overgrown front yard. I actually started zapping it this week and got half of it zapped! I will devote a minimum of 20 minutes each day I am home to zapping it.
2. The atrium- it needs a face lift [read that to be paint job along with re glazing the windows] Since I am unemployed and money is tight I will look in the garage to see if we have paint and if not make a plan to obtain some.
3. Settlement- I will work on this over the weekend. I filed a Civil Rights complaint against an employer in October of 2010 and they are ready to settle. I will write up a settlement for submission this weekend.
I was actually making great progress on my zapping list [not that I called it that] until a friend came down with Ovarian Cancer and I spend half the week taking care of her. I don’t mind but come home so drained it is hard to function. I realize however, that it I am not able to take care of myself and the things that need doing in my own household I will soon be of no use to her either. It’s hard. Do you have any tapping solutions for situations like this?
Thanks for all the great work you do!
Kathy