5 Things to Stop Tolerating for a Happier and More Fulfilling Life

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by certain situations or individuals in your life, finally deciding that something needs to change?

Or are you still tolerating them?

Sure, being tolerant is seen as a virtue when we interact with folks whose opinions and beliefs differ from ours.

By showing tolerance, you’re demonstrating respect.

It’s a commendable trait for any decent human being in a civilised society.

But when it comes to personal growth? Not so much.

In fact, being too tolerant of certain things can hold you back from living a fulfilling life.

By definition, tolerance means allowing things you dislike or disagree with to exist in your life without interference.

I’ve put up with quite a few things that led me either nowhere or to a worse place.

But since I stopped tolerating them, the quality of my life has improved dramatically.

Here are 5 things I stopped tolerating to live a more fulfilling and happier life.

Time for Change: Embrace a Happier, More Fulfilling Life

You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.

Jim Rohn

1. No More Aimlessness: Find Direction in Life

This one tops the list because it pushed me to stop tolerating all the other soul-crushing aspects of my life.

Think about it for a second—it makes sense, right?

When you don’t have a direction in life, why bother trying at all?

You have no goals to chase.

You write off the things you tolerate as minor annoyances and keep going.

Examples include:

• Gaining a bit of weight
• Accumulating a small debt
• Constantly complaining about, well, everything
• Sticking with an unfulfilling job

It’s easier to put up with these things because drifting aimlessly doesn’t require any effort.

Now, compare that to having a goal and taking action. That means taking risks and facing the pain of change.

Yep, tolerating an aimless life was definitely easier.

But when I pictured that same life 5 or 10 years down the road, I shuddered.

I couldn’t bear the thought of facing my future self without feeling a wave of sadness and anger.

That’s when I finally embraced the pain of change and stepped out of my comfort zone because I wanted a better life for myself.

2. Stop Tolerating Toxic People: Surround Yourself with Positivity

You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.

Jim Rohn

Take a good look at the folks around you.

Are you putting up with people who constantly drag you down?

Be mindful of who you surround yourself with. Every word they utter can poison your mind.

You start to normalise their twisted beliefs when you hear them often enough. Even worse, their beliefs become your own.

I recall reading about a woman who was determined to lose weight, so she started training.

But soon after, she quit working with her personal trainer because everyone around her claimed that weighing under 250 pounds was unhealthy.

All her friends and family were large.

Thankfully, she didn’t stop there. She researched weight and health, ultimately shedding all her excess pounds.

It just goes to show how much influence those around you can have.

3. Break Free from Debt: Gain Financial Control

When you get in debt, you become a slave.

Andrew Jackson

Most of us grew up in an environment where debt was seen as normal.

I learned my lessons the hard way.

If only I had known these debt quotes at a younger age and taken them to heart…

You’ve probably heard:

“Everyone has debt.”

That’s how prevalent debt is in our society and how much it’s been normalised.

The moment you accept debt as a normal part of life, you lose control of your finances.

I once read a comment about someone’s grandpa’s money advice:

“Be your own bank.”

What an incredible concept I wish someone had shared with me when I was young.

Imagine a life where you no longer depend on commercial banks that create all sorts of products and services, practically shoving them down your throat, making you believe you can’t survive in this day and age without loans, debt, and credit cards.

But that’s not true.

I know people who have embraced the “be your own bank” mindset, living just fine without all those financial products—not just surviving, but thriving.

4. Quit Tolerating a Job That Drains You: Pursue Fulfilling Work

Wrong degree, wrong job.

That should have been reason enough to leave, but I put up with it for the security and comfort the job offered.

I might have stayed even longer if it hadn’t been such a toxic environment.

• People constantly gossiping
• Meetings focused more on finger-pointing than on constructive collaboration
• A demoralising culture where finding fault with everything and everyone was encouraged
• Undermining others to get ahead was the norm

I hated the environment more than the job itself.

When I finally left, it felt like I was walking out of a prison (can you imagine?).

5. Silence Negative Self-Talk: Cultivate Self-Compassion

If you haven’t considered the internal dialogue you’re having with yourself, I strongly encourage you to give it some serious thought.

It might be the most valuable and life-changing gift you can give yourself.

I can’t count how many times I’ve heard successful people mention:

“The story you tell yourself”

But it didn’t fully sink in until I read a book that drove the point home.

Self-talk, affirmations, the story you tell yourself… they’re all about engaging in the right dialogue with yourself.

Take a look at this post to see how much negative self-talk is infiltrating your daily life.

If you lack faith in yourself and continually reinforce negative narratives, you’re not only holding yourself back but also dragging yourself down.

In the end, only you can lift your spirits and cheer yourself on when things don’t go as planned.

You’re the only one who can write the story you want to live, no matter what.

Final Thoughts

It’s all too easy to tolerate the wrong things.

They creep into our lives and become habits.

From a cluttered desk to constant complaining, enduring these nuisances can drain your energy and rob you of precious time.

By consciously deciding what to tolerate and what not to tolerate, you clear mental space for creativity and intuition, feel lighter, radiate positive energy, foster personal growth, and ultimately live a more fulfilling and happier life.

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