Imagine for a moment a world without judgement. Imagine a human race so evolved, we have the compassion and wisdom to look into a person’s heart and soul and understand them at their core.

Is this possible?

Imagine we suspend our own agenda and our own frame of reference enough to reach this point? Imagine what we could achieve if we were not judged by others… we would eradicate fear of judgment and rejection and embrace our creative uniqueness and imagination.

Call me idealistic, but I truly believe we can thrive in such a world when we focus on developing a greater sense of awareness, understanding, empathy and compassion for human behavior.

This is the heart of Mindful Living…releasing judging thoughts of ourselves and others and observing without creating a story in our mind. This means being an adventurer and observer. It means letting go of giving the mind power and learning to activate your heart center…the home of compassion and kindness.

Here are 10 ways we can each start to develop our Muscles of Compassion and let go of the habit of judging others:

1. Remember everyone has their own map of the world. This is a unique perceptual lens through which we see the world and allows us each to have our own subjective mapping of experience and reality. With every thought and every experience we have, we create neurological pathways which make up this unique mapping. No two maps can be the same (unless they live the exact same moment to moment thoughts and experiences, which is impossible), there is no map better or worse than another nor is one right or wrong.

With an awareness and understanding of each other’s unique maps, we can let go of judging another person, let go of the need to be right, remain curious as to how that person sees the world and aim to get to know their own map.

2. All behavior has a positive intention (until proven otherwise). This means that, despite what we may think or feel, people are not against us or trying to hurt us, they are coming from their own pain or their own agenda. This becomes evident when we start to question a person instead of assume meanings to their behavior.

3. Everyone is fighting their own internal battle and inner gremlins. Everyone has limiting beliefs which create fear, and when we dig below the surface we begin to understand their pain, doubt or fear which is actually motivating their behavior.

4. Do not take things personally. Although the ego does not like to hear this… Not everything is about us. When we step back and not react to people, we can question their intent and begin to be compassionate and understanding to their own perspective, rather then what that brings up in us. This means we take responsibility for self-soothing our own emotion, remembering points 1 & 2.

5. This is harsh but true… What you don’t like in someone is what you don’t like in yourself. When you hear yourself judging another person ask yourself what that reflects in you and why it triggers you. Listen to your inner language and self-talk. What is it that you do not like and how does this relate to you. Focus on shifting that observation in yourself rather than projecting it onto someone else.

6. Remember how it feels… Mean or negative comments are sticky and stay with us our whole lives. They tear into our core and create self-doubt, shame and self-criticism. The voice of self-doubt, although it sounds like our own voice, is actually the comments of all “significant others” we chose to take on. The opposite of this is staying in self-belief, which is when we listen to our own voice and inner guidance.

7. Accept the uniqueness of others, don’t be scared of anything different to you. Embrace diversity and the different behaviors of humanity. Strive for human freedom and expression, openness and creativity rather than conformity.

8. Let go of unrealistic expectations of yourself and others, as well as needing to control an outcome. Your way is not necessarily the right way, stay open to new possibilities, expand your awareness and have more tolerance.

9. What you see on the outside is not really the truth of a person. People are like icebergs and often show the world a mask and not necessarily their truth. Ask questions and listen to clues to understand what lies beneath the surface and under the mask- what is motivating their behavior? Open to being more curious than judgmental.

10. And my favorite of all… Remember karma… What you put out is what you will get back and you treat others how to treat you in your actions towards them. Avoid gossip, the need for drama, excluding others or criticism and begin to look for the positive and the true essence that exists in each person. When we look for the good, we will find it! Be inclusive!

Letting go of judgment makes it a safer world where we feel more open and comfortable to express this true self creatively and this will help actualize the unique potential and intelligence which exists in all of us.

Imagine a world with that?