Judgment is usually wrong, as I explained in previous post. When people judge other people or events they do it through distorted lens of previous experience, cultural upbringing, current mood and other factors.
In this post I will explain why judgment is bad for you. It is a bad habit, which is almost impossible to get rid of. More so, judgment is sometimes very necessary, because you would prefer to run away from frantic murderer wielding a machete, and not be compassionate toward him.
All this implies that there are two kinds of judgment:
1. Necessary
2. Unnecessary
How do we distinguish between the two?
First, let me define them:
Necessary judgment: When we are in dangerous situation, we need to quickly decide what to do, and we can not do it without judging the situation - people and objects involved.
Unnecessary judgment: All other forms of judgment. Judging people who we do not know, judging ourselves for what we have or have not done.
How can we get rid of unnecessary judgment?
1. Mindfulness. If you are mindful of your surroundings and are not tangled in your thoughts, you will be able to observe the world around you clearly. This is the prerequisite for necessary judgment. It will enable you to recognize the time your mind is ruminating about something, when you think about the past of the future.
2. Concentration. If you are concentrated to the job at hand, you will be able to make decisions based on clear thinking. When your mind wonders, you will lose focus and probably lose awareness about the task as well.
3. Handling thoughts. When your mind starts to ruminate recognize this fact and remember to be mindful. Do not also judge the fact that you are judgmental. That is a trap many of us fall into. We feel bad that we are not mindful! We need to handle these thoughts as another one to be mindful about, and let it go.
When we let go of unnecessary judgment, we are free of potentially damaging behavior. What we gain is compassion and patience. We become better fathers, mothers, sons and daughters. We become a relative that cares and a colleague that is not preoccupied just with work. We look at people in the street and we notice them. We notice a sunny day, not just when it rains on our heads. We become satisfied with present moment. Even when things do not go well, we are content that they are not worse. We become grateful for little things we would not notice with judgment on.
As Marcus Aurelius says:
"If you are pained by external things, it is not they that disturb you, but your own judgment of them. And it is in your power to wipe out that judgment now."
Michel de Montaigne gives anoter tip:
"Traveling through the world produces a marvelous clarity in the judgment of men. We are all of us confined and enclosed within ourselves, and see no farther than the end of our nose. This great world is a mirror where we must see ourselves in order to know ourselves. There are so many different tempers, so many different points of view, judgments, opinions, laws and customs to teach us to judge wisely on our own, and to teach our judgment to recognize its imperfection and natural weakness."
What is your way to judge others. Voice your opinions in the comments secition!
All this implies that there are two kinds of judgment:
1. Necessary
2. Unnecessary
How do we distinguish between the two?
First, let me define them:
Necessary judgment: When we are in dangerous situation, we need to quickly decide what to do, and we can not do it without judging the situation - people and objects involved.
Unnecessary judgment: All other forms of judgment. Judging people who we do not know, judging ourselves for what we have or have not done.
How can we get rid of unnecessary judgment?
1. Mindfulness. If you are mindful of your surroundings and are not tangled in your thoughts, you will be able to observe the world around you clearly. This is the prerequisite for necessary judgment. It will enable you to recognize the time your mind is ruminating about something, when you think about the past of the future.
2. Concentration. If you are concentrated to the job at hand, you will be able to make decisions based on clear thinking. When your mind wonders, you will lose focus and probably lose awareness about the task as well.
3. Handling thoughts. When your mind starts to ruminate recognize this fact and remember to be mindful. Do not also judge the fact that you are judgmental. That is a trap many of us fall into. We feel bad that we are not mindful! We need to handle these thoughts as another one to be mindful about, and let it go.
When we let go of unnecessary judgment, we are free of potentially damaging behavior. What we gain is compassion and patience. We become better fathers, mothers, sons and daughters. We become a relative that cares and a colleague that is not preoccupied just with work. We look at people in the street and we notice them. We notice a sunny day, not just when it rains on our heads. We become satisfied with present moment. Even when things do not go well, we are content that they are not worse. We become grateful for little things we would not notice with judgment on.
As Marcus Aurelius says:
"If you are pained by external things, it is not they that disturb you, but your own judgment of them. And it is in your power to wipe out that judgment now."
Michel de Montaigne gives anoter tip:
"Traveling through the world produces a marvelous clarity in the judgment of men. We are all of us confined and enclosed within ourselves, and see no farther than the end of our nose. This great world is a mirror where we must see ourselves in order to know ourselves. There are so many different tempers, so many different points of view, judgments, opinions, laws and customs to teach us to judge wisely on our own, and to teach our judgment to recognize its imperfection and natural weakness."
What is your way to judge others. Voice your opinions in the comments secition!
No comments:
Post a Comment