Learn English – Word for “making something more tolerable?”

"Longing" refers to almost exactly what you're talking about. Having a longing is probably described by the adjective "wistful." To have a longing is to "yearn." Those are the only three I could think of. I hope this helped in any manner.

The word that seemed most appropriate to me when I read this was languish:

1. to be or become weak or feeble; droop; fade.
2. to lose vigor and vitality.
3. to undergo neglect or experience prolonged inactivity; suffer hardship and distress: "to languish in prison for ten years."
4. to be subjected to delay or disregard; be ignored: "a petition that languished on the warden's desk for a year."