Top Tips Tuesday with Toni Barrett

Tolerance is a superpower

There are many theories developed throughout our lifespan that could be used to direct us to the path of our actualized self. Tolerance is a path in which all humans should walk in order to become a better person. It is a super power that not many individuals have mastered and thus exercising tolerance is one of the most essential life skills a person could ever possess. Acknowledging that others are different from you is easy and accepting these differences can be quite difficult but are ideal. Here are five tips that can be used to help you to exercise tolerance in your everyday life.

• Practice mindfulness – ensure that you analyze the time and place in which you are situated. Think about what you are going to say and the impact or effect it can have on the person when you say it. Be sure that what you are going to say will add value to the conversation or will be of value to the individual.

• Be aware- you should always know your audience. At times we may think that we know who are speaking to but do we really? We do not always have it figured out so taking time out to know who we are speaking to will go a far way. Being aware will boost understanding and improve tolerance levels as you will be able to respond and relate effectively.

• Be an active listener- listening to others is a key component of communication and also tolerance. Listening to others shows that you are interested in what they are saying even if it is of no importance to you. This can allow you to become a more tolerant person as you recognize that it is not about you but about the person you are listening to. Listening offers a great amount of understanding which can benefit you in the way you choose to respond to others while having a conversation.

• Respect the decisions of others- people desire independence, therefore, they will make decisions that they think are fitting for their unique situation. These decisions are convenient to them consequently, respecting their decisions will prove tolerance on your part even if their decisions do not match your values and beliefs.

• Value the opinions of others- do unto others as you have them do unto you is an old saying which substantiates to be true. If you think that your ideas and thoughts should be valued by others then it is only fair you display tolerance towards valuing the opinions of others. Valuing the opinions of others allows room for new perspectives which in turn leads to peace among you and those you interact with.

Tolerance allows you to embrace the unique abilities of others, understand their beliefs and respect their values. Exercising tolerance will give you peace, love and understanding towards all those we come in contact with. Practicing mindfulness, becoming more aware, being an active listener, respecting the decisions of other and valuing others options will indeed improve your tolerance level thus making tolerance a super power everyone should work to have.

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