What You're Tolerating

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There's a noise in your house you've stopped hearing. The hum of the refrigerator, the creek of the

floorboard, the rattle of the window when the wind blows. You actually don't notice it anymore.

You've adapted, and your brain is learned how to filter it out. But it's still there and still

draining you, still taking up space in your nervous system. You just don't realize it

until it stops. Wait, are we doing house renovations? No, we're going deeper than that.

Let's find out. I'm Chad Lawson, and let's comment down in three, two, one.

All right, honest question. What are you tolerating? Not the big things, not the obvious problems that

you're actively trying to fix, but the small things, the things you've gotten used to, the things

you tell yourself aren't too big to. The friend who only calls when they need something,

or the job that drains you a little more each day, or the relationship where you're always the one

initiating. The habit that makes you feel worse, but you keep doing it anyway.

You've learned to live with it. You've adapted, and you've told yourself, it's fine.

But it's not fine. It's just familiar.

And here's the thing about tolerating. It happens really slowly. So slowly, you don't notice it,

actually. Like one small compromise, or one little inconvenience, one minor annoyance.

I mean, individually, they're manageable. You can handle it. It's not worth making a fuss about,

but they add up. And then suddenly, you're carrying a dozen small weights. You didn't even realize

you picked up. None of them are heavy enough to drop you. But together, they crush you.

Think about the things you've been meaning to deal with for months. The conversation you've

been avoiding. The boundary, been too tired to sat. I feel you. The change you've been too scared to

make. You keep telling yourself, you'll handle it later, and you have more energy, more time, more

courage. But let's be honest, later, never comes. Because it'll longer you tolerate something

harder. It is to change it. It becomes your new normal, your baseline. The way things are, as we say,

and part of you starts to believe this is just how life is. That you don't deserve better.

That asking for more is asking for too much.

So what if what if you stopped tolerating just one thing, not everything, not all at once,

just one. The friend who drains you, the commitment, you resent, or the habit that makes you feel

small. What if you said no? What if you walked away? What if you just stopped? Not as punishment,

not as revenge, not as drama, just as honesty, as self-preservation, as the quiet acknowledgement that

you deserve better than this. I know it's hard. I know you're worried about hurting people, about

being seen as difficult, about rocking the boat. But here's what you're not considering.

The cost of not changing. The resentment that builds, the energy that drains, the parts of

yourself you lose when you tolerate things that diminish you. That has a cost too.

And you're the one paying it.

So here's your practice for this week. Make a list, not a long one, just three things.

Three things you're tolerating, they don't have to. Not the big, unfixable things, the small things,

the things within your control, write them down, and then pick one, just one, and stop tolerating it.

You can do this. Set the boundary, have the conversation, make the change. You don't need permission,

you don't need a good enough reason, you just need to decide, you're done, you're done.

So let me ask again, what are you tolerating that you don't have to?

Not the big things, the small things, the ones you've adopted to, the ones you've stopped noticing.

Maybe it's time to stop. Maybe it's time to stop. Thank you. Thank you for listening. Thank you for

living. And until next time, be kind to your mind and join me again as we comment down.

To find more episodes of Comment Down, see where I may be appearing in your area or to simply

want to know where to send me some chocolate chip cookies, visit commentdownpodcast.com.

This podcast was written and produced by yours truly, Chad Lawson, composer, pianist,

and nationally recognized sweet tooth. The views, expressions, and techniques in this episode

are of my personal opinion and not intended nor should they serve as a substitute for medical

advice or diagnosis rendered to you by your individual doctor or other healthcare provider.

Only a licensed physician should evaluate your situation, provide a diagnosis or render other

medical advice to you, and you should only act upon the advice of this physician.

Now, I'm an extreme empath by nature, but my profession is that of a composer and pianist, not

a licensed therapist or physician. I hear from thousands of listeners how my music has helped

them through various stages of emotional needs, and I simply want to offer this in future podcasts

episodes to aid those needs. So to find a list of licensed professionals in your area,

please visit commentdownpodcast.com. And if you've enjoyed today's episode, please leave a review

or better yet, share it with your friend. While it takes less than 60 seconds to do,

it's impact will last for years to come, as every little bit helps in growing the awareness and

the importance of mental and emotional health. Thank you for listening, thank you for living,

and until next time, be kind to your mind and join me again as we calm it down.