Judging the Judgement
Photo Credit: Carrie Le Blanc ©
As we embark on this journey of being mindful and becoming more aware of our thoughts it is easy to see how often one judges themselves (oh I can't meditate well I keep thinking, I am horrible at this) or others (how can that person focus on politics all the time when it is so negative?). Judgement comes freely and openly nonstop in our "thinking brains". Moving away from judgement is quite difficult.
Some judgement is necessary and allows us as humans to be natural and allow ourselves to judge what we like and what we don't like. Some judgement can hinder our growth and change process if we let it. Judgement is part of our experience, so the question remains how do we live in existence with our own judgements and the judgements of others? How can we find harmony and co-exist?
Judgement can come from early experiences we see as truth, our own values system, or beliefs that we hold dear to us. Understanding that not everyone sees the journey the same way is part of the awareness stage. Becoming more aware of how we judge ourselves, and others, how others judge themselves and us.
The question becomes what do we do after we become aware of the swirling judgements incorporated into our everyday existence?
Do we look to change them, allow them as they are, feel our way through them? This is a choice we all have every moment we think and observe our thinking patterns. We can choose the easy path that is very beaten down and nothing blocks the way in front of us. That easy path is to continue the way we have always been thinking and don't see any issue with our judgements. OR we can choose the more difficult path that has branches sticking out in our way, the grass is tall, there are rocks in the path. This path is not beaten down and in fact there isn't even one there to take. We have to create it. This is how the neural pathways in the brain get recreated in a different way. The more we take the difficult path or the new neural pathway in the brain the easier it becomes.. the path gets worn down and the branches are removed so to say.
Changing our thoughts is up to us. Seeing which judgements are harmless or even necessary and which are needing to be reframed is difficult. The hard path is a trail we take in courage, vulnerability and curiosity to see how we can change.
Learn more about Carrie LeBlanc by visiting her website at: www.CreativeConnectionCounselingLPC.com
You may contact Carrie here.
