“When you judge others, you do not define them, you define yourself.”

- Earl Nightingale

We often talk about how it is so important not to judge others, not to judge a situation.  Stories between family and friends frequently end with, “…but, no judgment.”  Judgment in and of itself is not always a bad thing, and actually, at times plays an important role in our own growth and evolving self.   There are reasons we do need judgment, and why it is our human nature.  Sometimes we use judgment to determine how not to offend, assessing the feelings and environment of those around us.  Other times, we judge to assess our safety, physical and emotional, confirming our surroundings are clear.  Additionally, we use judgment as a reference point of what we do or do not want in our lives.  However, labeling the actions of others as good or bad is a direct reflection of how we feel about ourselves.  When we are quick to condemn, we are often replacing our feelings of lack with pointing the finger to what is lacking in others.  Instead, we can use our judgment with our inner wisdom to confirm we are on the right path, letting others do the same.  When we can let go of determining what is right for another, we can instead focus on what we know to be true for ourselves.  If it doesn’t affect your immediate safety, security, or sanity, then it might be the exact situation in which no judgment truly should apply.