04/11/2025
From the solo traveller…
Imagine placing a frog into a pot of cold water, then slowly turning up the heat. At first, the frog remains calm, barely reacting to the gradual change. It quietly adjusts its body temperature, slowly adapting to the warming water, thinking, “This is still okay. I can handle this.”
As the water continues to heat, the frog tolerates the rising temperature, convincing itself that it’s still bearable. It adapts little by little, accepting discomfort bit by bit, believing it can survive whatever comes next.
But here lies the danger: when the water becomes unbearably hot—too hot to endure—the frog finally recognizes the urgent need to escape. It realizes, “Now, I must jump out to save myself!”
Unfortunately, by this time, the frog has already exhausted its energy simply enduring the increasing heat. It’s too weak, too depleted to make the leap to safety. Despite its desire to escape, the frog is trapped. Slowly, it succumbs to the boiling water, unable to save itself.
The frog didn’t perish because of the water’s heat alone. It died because it failed to act early, failed to make the decision to jump out when it still could.
This phenomenon is known as the “Boiling Frog Syndrome.”
We often endure injustice, neglect, or hardship step by step, telling ourselves, “I’ll tolerate this for now. I’ll deal with it later.” We accept small pains, dismiss warning signs, and adapt to worsening conditions, hoping things will improve.
What starts as manageable discomfort can grow into overwhelming suffering. By the time we realize the severity of our situation, our strength to change our circumstances has often been drained. We lose the courage to stand up, to speak out, and to protect ourselves.
The lesson: Never allow yourself to reach a point where you lack the strength to break free from toxic situations.
When you sense discomfort or injustice creeping in, take action immediately. Set clear boundaries, raise your voice, and defend your dignity before it’s too late.
No one deserves to become the “boiled frog” — someone who wanted to survive but was too late to save themselves.
