When we stop judging others, we start appreciating them.
What if we started looking at others with love instead of labeling them. That one is too skinny, this ones too fat. That ones stressed, this ones a mess. That one is a drunk, this ones a druggy. That ones good, that ones bad. What if our labeling is limiting them and us.
Labels limit.
It is not our job to judge. We can never know the whole story of what someone is going through. Who knows what we would do if we were in their shoes. We may end up the exact same way, or worse.
What if we looked at everyone through the eyes of love, compassion & understanding and grace, oh grace. What if we looked at everyone the same way we want others to look at us. What if we gave them the benefit of the doubt, that they are doing the best they can with what they got. Maybe they are, maybe they aren’t, but us judging them harshly sure doesn’t help them to do better. Maybe a kind word from a friend or stranger is all they need to get the courage to try again.
Try getting closer to people. Learning their story, maybe you are the missing piece to their puzzle that they need to move on. It could be a kind word, a skill you can teach them. A love you can show them, to renew them, to fill their cups.
It’s hard to hate up close, move in. ~Beene Brown
Maybe you are in need of a few missing pieces of your puzzle as well and they provide you a piece as well.
Judging others cuts kills relationships.
Judging others makes us make assumptions about them that are almost always extremely far from the truth. Judging good or bad is still judging. Just notice people for who and what they are. Beautiful friends to be made, beautiful conversations to be had, beautiful adventures to be shared.
Everyone is here to teach us something, be the student, as well as the teacher.
Start today replacing judgments of others with appreciation.
Notice the man who dresses nice, appreciate his style. Notice the girl with pink hair, appreciate her boldness. Notice the mom struggling with 4 kids in the store, one is crying, another is throwing its supply cup, she’s dropping her sunglasses and purse and one kid keeps running away, appreciate her, help her and remind her she’s doing a good job and this too shall pass. She probably needs a hug, a long bath and some help. You never know what the situation is. Maybe her husbands deployed fighting for your freedom, maybe he was a policeman shot in the line of duty. Maybe he is a lazy slob and doesn’t help her at all, appreciate her.
Those who seem to be struggling the most are generally the ones who are trying the hardest and just need to be cut a break.
One kind word can be the wind in someone’s wings that helps them soar!
When we start appreciating others and all they are and all they’re doing to make this world go around we are able to look at everyone with love. But, it has to start inside of us.
Start appreciating yourself, start appreciating all that you have done and accomplished. Think about where u came from until now and decide where you are going.
Here is your challenges!
CHALLENGE 1: Look in the mirror each day and instead of tearing yourself down, appreciate at least 5 things about yourself. Your eyes are gorgeous, your smile stops traffic, your hair is rocking, your freckles are cute, you have nice feet! Whatever. Just appreciate!
What we give ourselves we give to others. Just Love.
CHALLENGE 2:
Look at others appreciating at least 3 things about everyone. If you catch yourself judging them, then say 3 more nice things of appreciation. If you catch yourself judging them harshly, then find 3 more things about them and if you want to really change your pattern, then it is time to open your mouth and compliment them.
They may be so used to people judging them, and them judging themselves harshly that when you say a kind word, it will pattern interrupt them and make them start saying kinder things to themselves.
Do unto others as you would have them do to you. How many times have you been having a bad day and know that if someone said something kind to you it would be a ray of sunshine in your storm that would break apart the clouds and change your day?
Be the change right?
Let me know in the comments some things you appreciate about yourself, others or anything else in the world! Let’s start the shift towards appreciation and away from labeling or judging others! ❤️❤️
Anonymous
I appreciate my family that God gas given me and my health and my strength. Thanks for this inspirational article