Tolerance is noble. It’s one of life’s most important lessons, like forgiveness.
It teaches us respect and helps us keep an open mind.
But how tolerant should you really be? Where do you draw the line?
You’re not about to let anyone take advantage of you or turn a blind eye to injustice.
Here are 9 things you should never tolerate – from anyone.
1 • Someone Showing You Disrespect
Sooner or later, someone’s going to disrespect you. It’s inevitable.
Maybe you find out a close friend is spreading rumors about you. Or maybe someone is insulting you to your face. What choice do you have other than to stand up for yourself?
You could let it slide, but without boundaries, people are going to walk right over you.
You don’t have to be rude about it, either. Whenever you can, take the high road.
If you stay calm and composed, you’ll assert yourself and defuse the situation.
But you should never take it on the chin, really.
You can’t do much to stop people from being disrespectful.
But whether or not you tolerate it – that’s up to you.
2 • Bad Habits
Unfortunately, this one flies under the radar for so many people.
It’s because we’ve grown used to them.
Yes, deep down, we all know our bad habits. We know they’re bad.
But why isn’t knowing that something is bad enough to stop it? Dopamine.
Every bad habit makes you feel good. And that’s why it’s difficult to break the cycle.
When quitting, it’s important to replace bad habits with other, healthier sources of dopamine and embrace the withdrawal. It’s about getting used to being uncomfortable.
The best way to go about this is to acknowledge the lack of self-love in your life.
Then, little by little, start incorporating healthier routines into your lifestyle.
Love yourself, love your life, and you’ll work through it.
Related: Are You Sabotaging Your Growth? 7 Dangerous Spiritual Traps
3 • Settling for Anyone
Life is a lot of things, but at the end of the day, it’s about being happy.
And if you’re not happy – truly happy – why tolerate it?
You’re only making it harder for yourself and the people around you.
Never settle for anything less than what you deserve.
And you deserve genuine love and happiness – someone who supports you. Someone who stays with you through thick and thin. Someone who gets and shares your dreams.
But remember: how you treat yourself shows others how to treat you.
Love yourself right and you’ll never settle for a love that is only half-complete.
4 • Entitlement
Texting warped our perception and changed, basically, everything.
Nowadays, it’s perfectly normal to reach out to anyone and expect an answer right away.
Isn’t that kind of weird, though? Like, they should always be available. All the time.
And if you don’t get a text back, then something’s probably wrong, right?
Well, not exactly. You shouldn’t feel entitled to anyone’s time and space, especially in today’s fast-paced world of communication. It’s important to remind yourself of that.
No one owes you their time and energy – and vice-versa.
And if your friend keeps getting mad because you don’t feel like texting back every single minute, you should speak your mind. You need your space – and they should respect it.
You don’t have unlimited energy to give.
And if they don’t respect your decision, they don’t respect you.
5 • Any Kind of Abuse
Whether it’s your partner, friend, or anyone, really – you should never, ever tolerate abuse.
But it’s not always so simple, is it?
Sometimes, the people you rely on for a stable life take advantage of you, too.
Help and abuse can coincide, which makes it difficult to get out. You’re trapped.
And abuse isn’t always physical. It’s manipulative. Emotional. And corrupt.
But if someone loves you, there’s no place for any kind of abuse. Period.
If you don’t feel like you can escape – reach out.
Reach out to those you trust, those who can help you.
6 • A Lack of Accountability
Everyone makes mistakes. There’s just no going around them.
Sooner or later, you’ll make a bad decision. And then you’ll screw up and outdo yourself.
And just when you think it can’t get any worse – it gets worse.
That’s life. But owning up to your mistakes is the only way to learn from them.
And this you should not expect only from yourself – but everyone else, too.
Accountability allows us to build upon our failures. It’s the very catalyst of change.
It’s not easy to pull off, though. Taking control of your life and actions takes guts.
But it’s the right thing to do. The only thing to do.
And you should never tolerate a lack of accountability, whether in others or yourself.
7 • Dishonesty, to a Degree
Everyone lies, and there’s no point pretending otherwise. Even pretending is a lie.
Heck, we lie to ourselves every day. You told yourself you’d hit the gym – and didn’t.
You told yourself you would fix your sleep schedule – and, well, it’s 3 AM again.
Lying isn’t always a bad thing. Sometimes, you need to lie to protect yourself.
But how much dishonesty should you tolerate? When do you say “enough”?
Ideally, you should never lie or tolerate being lied to about important things.
If it’s high-stakes, tell and expect to be told the truth.
Yes, even if it’s difficult to hear.
8 • Stay away From Bad Vibes
Some people are just so pessimistic and negative-minded that it’s frustrating.
They can deplete your energy in a matter of seconds.
And if you’re chronically online, you’re in the middle of it all.
It’s harder to be mean in person. Yet, some people pull it off quite easily.
But you should never tolerate negativity – whether within or around yourself.
Everyone’s busy fighting battles, but that’s really just an excuse.
Love, empathy, and understanding can and should always prevail.
Remember that negativity and realism are two different things. It’s just that, unfortunately, they’ve become so intertwined. Such is the world we live in.
But we can make it a little better.
When confronted with negativity, beat it with your positivity.
9 • Intolerance
Being tolerant is necessary in today’s world. It’s a peace treaty.
But there are limits to how much you should tolerate. Reasonable ones.
Like all things in life, it’s never black or white.
If you were to tolerate everything, you’d tolerate intolerance, too.
And should intolerance prevail, it’s pretty much game over.
Striking a balance is key. Knowing what to tolerate and what not to.
It’s a spiritual journey. A journey we should all take to expand our perspective.
Painting and writing – these are two passions that I have been perfecting for a decade. I’m passionate about exploring the connections between the stars and numbers. Through insightful articles you can learn how these ancient practices can offer guidance, clarity, and self-discovery.