Gratitude is the only way we can rise above the poison that is judgment.

Did you realise that using judgement makes it harder for us to figure out what is really going on? We might not know all the facts and are apt to make judgements based on incomplete knowledge. Through our judgments, we have a tendency to put ourselves at a remove and lose faith in what we discover. For instance, passing judgement on someone is simpler than getting to know them better. This is due to the fact that investing ourselves takes commitment, and we risk being let down if the other person does not do the same for us. In order to feel better about ourselves, we project our fears, shame, and guilt onto others, which keeps us secure. This results in us alienating ourselves rather than forging deeper relationships.

Gratitude’s ability to shift our perspective on situations is the key to escaping criticism. Gratitude allows us to enter our hearts and shift our view on situations. We become softer where we were previously stiff. A grateful heart is different from one that is filled with condemnation, dread, or rage. In actuality, the mind, through its ego attachment, harbours these feelings more than the heart. As a result, judgement and appreciation are diametrically opposed. One represents the ego, while the other is manifested in genuine kindness and compassion. Have you ever gone through a comparable situation in your own life? Perhaps you incorrectly assessed another individual and later realised there was more to them than first appeared? It is common to respond in this manner, and psychologists claim that this is because of a function in our brains that evolved to screen for negativity.

But how can we get past our prejudice so that we can see things more clearly? Surely, judgement interferes with how we perceive life? Being aware of our ideas is the key to recognising our judgement. When my coaching clients catch themselves passing judgment, I often advise them to pause and pose a straightforward question: “What am I not seeing in this situation?” This enables us to recognise the areas where our biases prevent us from seeing the truth. According to my observations, judgement mostly happens when we engage with other people. We contribute our own distorted thinking to the process, so we are unaware of the intentions and goals of others. Most of the time, even if it means sticking up for false beliefs, we would rather be correct than wrong.

This was particularly clear in the case of Lance Armstrong, the infamous seven-time Tour de France champion who persuaded both himself and others that he did not cheat. In order to deny using illicit performance-enhancing drugs, he went to great measures. He claimed that his lies are so convincing that they ultimately come to be accepted as fact in an interview with Oprah Winfrey. This illustration demonstrates the complexity of human nature by demonstrating how a falsehood can be accepted as truth by a person who believes it so firmly. But as you are well aware, telling the truth is always easier than maintaining a falsehood. The force of gratitude, however, enables us to turn our focus to the truth—even if it means causing us to experience emotional pain. Gratitude makes us more conscious of opportunities because, even when we have to work hard to find them, there is always something to be thankful for. From dread and judgement to compassion and comprehension, gratitude is the switch. It is the point at which tolerance and friendship are formed.

It takes openness and awareness to traverse the bridge from judgement to gratitude. receptivity to admitting that we don’t fully comprehend what is happening. the knowledge that we are passing judgement in order to satisfy our own needs or diminish the value of another person. We are able to break the cycle of habitual thought patterns by recognising them through an expanded consciousness. As we enter our hearts, where all possibilities reside, we leave behind our egoic need to judge something or someone. Instead of buying into a manufactured lie, we learn to be more forgiving and appreciative of others. The more we comprehend something, the more accepting we are of both ourselves and other people. The fruits of soulful life are tolerance, forgiveness, and empathy.

In light of that, I’d like you to think of a recent instance in which you unfairly evaluated something or someone. How could you possibly perceive things differently and value what is happening behind the scenes? What steps could you take to behave with gratitude and compassion rather than with judgement and dread? Making eye contact with someone else can be necessary for even the tiniest actions. When you move into your heart rather than your brain, have you noticed a change in your body and how you feel? Only when we let go of judgement does the power of gratitude allow us to enter our hearts and awaken our consciousness to see things as they truly are.

Hi, I’m Garima and I write about life experiences. I have several books available on Amazon. Check them out today! Any purchases or KDP reads will be greatly appreciated. If you like my books, do leave a review. Here’s my author page on Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0BQDZXYNV