5 Reasons to Start Releasing Self-Judgment
Self-judgment can have a tendency to hold you back from living a rich and fulfilling life. A life that is connected to your dreams and driven by your values. In this post we will discuss –
- What is Self-Judgment?
- 7 Quotes on Self-Judgment, and
- 5 Reasons to Start Releasing Self-Judgment.
Let’s get started….
What is Self-Judgment?
There are many definitions of self-judgment including –
- “the act or fact of judging oneself” ~ Dictionary.com
- “Self-judgment results from thoughts individuals have about themselves and the meanings attached to those thoughts. The thoughts, hence, produce related feelings such as anxiety, anger, and depression. Judgments (The process of forming an opinion, or reaching a conclusion based on the available material.) people make about themselves can become habituated as they are used to explain and validate unhelpful thoughts (e.g., If I am harsh on myself, other people will not be as harsh) and they might, accordingly, be intended to protect people against emotional pain, failure and rejection.” ~ Springer
7 Quotes on Self-Judgment
Following are 7 of my favourite quotes on self-judgment –
- “When we struggle to change ourselves we, in fact, only continue the patterns of self-judgement and aggression. We keep the war against ourselves alive.” ~ Jack Kornfield
- “Do not carry the burden of self-judgment. You are forgiven and pardoned” ~ Sunday Adelaja
- “The more one judges, the less one loves.” ~ Honore de Balzac
- “Remember, you have been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.” ~ Louise Hay
- “Judge tenderly, if you must. There is usually a side you have not heard, a story you know nothing about, and a battle waged that you are not having to fight.” ~ Traci Lea LaRussa
- “Never go tapping into the lives of others like you know them and their story! Their story is not yours, tell yours, for that is all you know.” ~ Auliq-Ice
- “If I stop judging other people, I free myself from being judged, and I can dance!” ~ Patti Digh
Are there any more that you would include?
5 Reasons to Start Releasing Self-Judgment Today
1. You Start to Realise Your Purpose –
I truly believe you are here for a reason and you have a gift offer the world. As Hayley Okines has shown, life isn’t about the length of your stay here on earth, it is about what you do with the time you do have. “Everyone has a purpose in life and a unique talent to give to others. And when we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and exultation of own spirit, which is the ultimate goal of all goals.” ~ Kallam Anji Reddy.
2. You Become More Courageous –
As you start taking steps towards your dream or vision, fear will arise. As you learn to meet the fear, you will develop greater courage. “There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires.” ~ Nelson Mandela.
3. The Only Time Is NOW –
Yes the best time to start your adventure, to forgive yourself and to pay attention to self-judgment is NOW, not tomorrow or any other time. You are already complete and whole (and just need to unlearn some beliefs, judgements and behaviours). And the only time to do that is NOW – “With the past, I have nothing to do; nor with the future. I live now.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson.
4. You Increase Your Self-Worth –
By focusing on your dreams, you start to develop a better relationship with yourself and take better care of yourself and realise you are worthy of love, connection and belonging. “Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy – the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.” ~ Brené Brown
5. You Can’t Give What You Don’t Have –
For example – if you are judging yourself most of the time – what do you have to give? If on the other hand you started to develop self-compassion, took better care of yourself and self-acceptance – what do you think you could give then? This is articulated in the following clip by Dr Wayne Dyer –
Over to You –
Are there any other reasons, why it is important to start releasing self-judgment? If so, feel free to share them below! If you are still not convinced that you are judging yourself – think about how you would live your life if you weren’t afraid of being judged, either by yourself or others?
And remember –
“To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.” ~ E.E. Cummings
Feel free to share any comments below and if you are ready to reclaim your courage and take the next step towards opening your heart, why not join our Toolkit?