“Be curious, not judgmental.”
Walt Whitman
Dear one,
I’ve always known Whitman was a wizard, but those four words contain some powerful magic.
There’s a difference between being curious and judgmental. Curiosity is borne out of a desire to learn, whereas being judgemental is being critical of something you don’t understand or don’t want to. I always strive to understand people and things, especially those that trigger a desire to judge. There is a series of questions I ask myself when I feel compelled to judge someone. Maybe they will help you, too:
- Why do I allow someone’s personal choices to affect my mood?
- Why do I feel like I know what is right for someone else?
- Why do I feel responsible for the choices others make about their lives?
- Why do I feel as though someone is responsible for making the choices that I feel are right?
- Why do I become so attached to outcomes that I get angry at others for making decisions about their own lives?
Never forget that I love you, and that excludes no one.
Love,
