While you are being present and listening, you can think about what you are hearing.  What kinds of thoughts float through your mind?

A common type of thought is judgment. 

Judgment is when we decide what is right and wrong, good and bad. 

When we are figuring out what is right or wrong for us, it is fine to use our judgment.  Our personal feelings can help us judge and decide whether to have chicken or lasagna for dinner, whether to sign up for soccer or basketball next season, or what our major in college should be.

But we cannot what is right or wrong for another person.  They have their own internal guidance system.  We may think we know the best way for them or how they should think about something, but the truth is we can’t.  Only they can do that.

So spending time and energy judging what others should do or think is just a waste of time and energy.

You can tell them the way you see things, but you cannot change someone else’s mind.

Tomorrow we’ll discuss what you can do instead of judging.