Cleaning Out Clutter:
Handle Your Tolerations

Cleaning out clutter often starts by handling the things that really, really bug you.


In coaching, we have a term called 'tolerations,' which stand for all of those niggling, annoying, nagging, or persistent little (or big) things that have been bugging you...that you haven't yet done anything about, either because they haven't seemed important enough to handle or because you're not even sure what to do about them.

Your tolerations might be small, like the light bulb that burned out on the porch that you haven't had a chance to replace yet, or the pile of dry cleaning that has been sitting on the chair in your bedroom for a month, or the dozen phone calls you keep meaning to make, day after day.

Or you might find that your tolerations list has items that seem much bigger, like a marriage that isn't working as well as it used to and keeps you awake at night, or a house payment that causes you stress.

But here's the thing.

When you have a lot of things that bug you, either big or small, they add up to a huge drain of energy in your life.

Tolerations are like static playing in the background of your life all the time, every minute of every day.

And because you get used to the static, it can seem easier to simply ignore it after awhile. But handling those little niggling things makes an enormous difference in the energy you have available for what you truly WANT in your life (you know, those things that are much more fun and satisfying).

So start cleaning out clutter by handling your tolerations.

Make a list of everything that is driving you crazy, whether you know how to handle them or not.

And then start cleaning out clutter with one item at a time.

Replace the burned out light bulb.

Take the laundry to the dry cleaners.

Make the phone calls.

Get some counseling for the marriage.

Review your finances.

Clear out the things that bug you, and you'll be amazed at how differently you feel!

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