Volume 1, Issue 4
October, 2001
Beyond Success Newsletter
Eliminating Tolerations - A Fresh Start for the Holidays
by Trish Pratt
Fall is traditionally a time of "pulling in" for many people -- a time when many find their energy shifting to a calmer, more settled place. For some whose chemical make-up prefers more light, it can be a challenging time. And others find that a renewed sense of peacefulness comes hand-in-hand with shorter days, cooler weather, and more time indoors. Whatever thoughts or feelings you may have towards Fall, the shift to a more inward focus and falling temperatures make it an optimal time for personal housecleaning. "Housecleaning" did she say?? Yes, but personal housecleaning -- a cleaning out of the things in your life that you are putting up with -- otherwise referred to in coaching environments as "tolerations."
We all have a list of things that we are putting up with, for example -- unmade phone calls or appointments, a car that's in need of a tune-up, cluttered files, too much work, too little time, a closet that is in desperate need of a clean-out, etc. Our list of tolerations often consists of tasks that we are not interested in doing. Yes, we are interested in having them completed, but truthfully, can't bring ourselves to give them conscious-thought time. We often stumble over and around these things hoping they will resolve themselves somehow. And in the meantime we allow these tolerations to aggravate us, suck up our time and energy with the inconvenience they cause, clutter our lives, and add to our overall stress level.
And so as you might expect, completing some of these tasks and crossing them off your list is a great way to free up your energy, decrease your stress level and generally speaking, improve the overall quality of your life. Knowing that on the heals of Fall is the holiday season ready to descend upon our schedules adding significantly to our already busy lives, what better time to address these tolerations than now? This is a great time to clear out our clutter, to free up our energy and make room for joy and peace this holiday season.
So... the question of where to begin. It's easy to start, but even easier to avoid beginning. One way is to just stop right now and make a list of 10, 20, maybe even more things in your life that you are putting up with. Include the big and the small things you are tolerating. Let your pen flow freely and see how good it feels to list these things on paper. Once your list is made, the following steps will support you in following through on the "toleration elimination" process.
Toleration Elimination Process
- Choose one item to address and handle it today so that your list is already getting smaller.
- Schedule appropriate items. Set target dates and schedule time in your calendar for completion of these items.
- Breakdown overwhelming items into smaller steps. Sometimes a small step in the right direction is a huge step to creating the necessary momentum for change.
- Get help. Allow yourself to be open to asking and receiving help, and maybe even hiring someone to complete an item. Your job is merely to get it addressed, not necessarily to address the item yourself.
- Get support. Working through your list with the support of a friend, family member, co-worker, neighbor or even a coach, can help to keep you focused. This support can also help you respond quickly to any fallout or change that may result from having taken action.
- Modify your infrastructure or goals to support the changes you have made. Modify or take on new procedures, habits, boundaries, relationships, etc. that will support what you want in your life.
When looking to have the life of your dreams, consider not only what you want in your life, but also what you don't want. Take the necessary steps for a personal housecleaning and experience the energy of a toleration-free zone!
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About Trish
Trish Pratt is a professional certified coach and consultant. She is also a certified PaperRoom coach trained in pattern recognition (see www.momentumcoaching.com/paperroom.html for more details). Trish helps managers and other professionals bring their best clarity, communication and leadership to their work. She does this with one-on-one coaching, training/workshops, and through articles she writes. Contact Trish today for a complimentary consultation at: 978-298-5561 or via email at: trish@momentumcoaching.com.
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