Don't think about this: There is a difference between growth and tolerance

Jun 02, 2026

You’re learning how to shift your thoughts.
And you’re getting kinda good at it.
Maybe even a little competitive about it?

You’re in a difficult situation and you go to work.
Reframing. Searching for a more helpful angle.
There must be a way to choose a thought that makes this feel okay.

All this thought work feels productive. You want to be an A+ self-coacher.

But sometimes thought work turns into this subtle moment of overriding yourself.

You’re in a situation that feels wrong.
Draining. Misaligned. Not for you.

And instead of looking at the situation, your brain goes straight here:

“I know I can think about this better”
“It’s just my thoughts making this feel hard”
“There must be a way to be okay with this”

Forcing positivity to stay in something that isn’t right is using valuable thought work against yourself.

Instead of asking, “Is this working for me?” , you stay busy trying to make it work in your head.

Be careful about overachieving with thought work.
The most important first step is always awareness.

Check in with yourself.
Is this something to work through… or something that needs a boundary or a change?

If you notice you’re doing a lot of mental gymnastics about the same situation, pause and ask:

“What if my thinking isn’t the problem?”

Sometimes the most supportive move isn’t finding a better thought.

It’s choosing something different.

Just because you can choose any thought doesn’t mean every thought will feel true or aligned.

Don’t gaslight yourself with thought work.

Sometimes having your own back means changing the situation.

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Don't think about this: There is a difference between growth and tolerance

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