It's easy to allow the words of other people to become our truth. There are many people who constantly pass unwarranted judgements and who use their words to inflict pain upon others. As we go through life, we realize that not everyone is going to be on our side. There are people who simply want to bring others down in any way they can. One of the most important lessons I have learned in life is that people's opinions of me do not define me as a person.
We are all human. We are all guilty of passing judgement at some point in our lives. Whether we want to admit it or not, we may pass judgements without even realizing it. We have the power to choose how the opinions of others affect us. We can allow their words to become our reality. We can allow their opinions to shape our perspective of ourselves. Or, we can recognize their judgement as a reflection of themselves, and chose to move on.
All judgment stems from insecurity and jealousy. People tend to judge the things in others that they admire or are jealous of. They wish they had the same skills and attributes as you, and therefore try to point out your flaws. It is important to remember that judgment is simply a projection of someone else's insecurities onto you. It by no means is a reflection of the person you are.
It can be difficult to brush off judgment. Judgment is hurtful and it causes you to doubt yourself and your abilities. You begin to question if the other person's opinion is right. You may even try to change things about yourself to please the other person. This only ends up hurting you in the long run.
You must never allow your self-esteem or self-worth to be based upon the opinions of others. If you constantly seek to find your self-worth from external sources, you will never be happy with yourself. You have to find peace within yourself. The judgments of others are completely irrelevant if you know your values and are sure of yourself.
If another person is passing judgment upon you, your first reaction might be to point out their flaws. Do not allow yourself to stoop to that level. A true measure of personal strength is when you can treat a judgmental person with complete kindness and respect. By doing so, you prove to the other person that you are unscathed by their words because you are sure of yourself.
We will never be able to escape judgement fully. If you are out chasing after your goals and accomplishing big things, you will undoubtedly face judgment at some point. Decide to be a strong person, replace your fears with truth, and never allow the opinions of others to change your perspective of yourself. Judging a person does not define who they are, it defines who you are. You decide how much power the opinions of other people will have in your life.
