We can be our own worst critics. Being overly judgmental does not help us achieve happiness (or anything else). In this episode, Janine and Shannon discuss some strategies for letting go of judgment and living with more kindness and compassion.
Discussion topics include:
- How unhelpful self judgment can be
- How Shannon sometimes feels disappointed in herself
- Unrealistic expectations for what we can accomplish in a day
- How Janine and Shannon never judge our clients but often judge ourselves
- Shannon’s expectations for her clients (spoiler alert: she doesn’t have any!)
- Practicing treating ourselves with the same kindness and concern as we treat our clients
- Stopping the cycle of self judgment
- How people with perfectionistic tendencies might be particularly judgmental
- Using feelings of disappointment as a reminder to look on the situation with kindness
- Thinking about what you’d tell a friend in a given situation
- Making “good enough” a happy phrase
- How perfectionism is all about judgment–and how we often think we’re being judged
- Letting go of concern for someone else’s judgment in a situation
- How so much self judgment originated externally from us
- Examining the things you’re feeling judgmental about and checking in to see if it’s something you really feel
- Cultivating compassion and kindness for yourself
Note from Janine: I got the tagline of The Feel Good Effect podcast from Robin Conley Downs wrong. It is “Gentle is the New Perfect,” which is also wonderful!
Links:
- Confirmation that it was in the movie Vertigo that Barbara Bel Geddes said, “stupid, stupid, stupid!”
- Episode 4: Self Talk