do it yourself FREEDOM

Impacts: Mind, Health, Community, Time

“If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of the world, and that his heart is no island cut off from other lands, but a continent that joins to them.” – Francis Bacon

“He who experiences the unity of life sees his own Self in all beings, and all beings in his own Self, and looks on everything with an impartial eye.” – Buddha

Focusing your time and energy on anything that doesn’t move your forward is often a waste of time but more importantly it’s a mental distraction. The only thing you might benefit from is learning something from another person’s mistake. If you can leave it at that you’ve done yourself a favor. If you spend time dwelling on them, judging them, it does no one any good. It also leave you feeling negative. It might even make others feel negative which is definitely counterproductive if you have need to maintain a relationship with them.

But none of us are immune to passing judgment on others. We all do it from time to time. The trick to moving this out of your life is to simply recognize when you’re doing it and choosing to slow down and stop.

Gossip is usually one of the most common ways we get sucked up into judging others. Gossip might bring one group of people together but drives a division between you and the judged. The glue used to form the relationship with the gossipers is not very lasting either and often leads to more trouble. Choosing to judge less brings people closer together, empowers everyone, and increases everyone’s self esteem.

Take Action

• Avoid gossip in conversation and publications.
• Avoid tabloids.
• Watch for situations where other people are being judged and try not to take part in those conversations. If possible try to redirect the conversation.
• Be mindful of your own thoughts and catch yourself when you begin to judge.
• Find a way of staying on the right side of the thin line between having an opinion and casting judgment.
• Remember the person who benefits most from judging less is you, then the judged.