| As we continue to examine Christian D. Larson’s "The Optimist Creed," let’s turn our attention inward. The next promise is, "to give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others."
Larson’s promise is a great reminder that being critical of others—whether inwardly or outwardly—places us on a frequency of being judgmental, which is a low frequency. By focusing on the positive, like improving ourselves, our frequency goes up—and that will put us in alignment with achieving better results in our lives. Like attracts like.
When you notice yourself wanting to be critical of someone else, it’s often because something in them reminds you of something in yourself that you don’t like. Get curious and ask, "Why am I being so critical and is this a match for something inside of me?"
We can also decide to only look for the good in that person and put our attention on the good things instead of what bothers us about them.
I worked with a woman who was a Vice President of a bank. She felt as though she didn’t fit in at work and that she was not well regarded. When she shared that she was going to a work party, I suggested that she bless everyone before she entered the party and allow herself to be open.
At the party, she did bless everyone, and she also tried to feel as though she fit in; or at least she acted as though she fit in. That night changed everything for her. After the party, her co-workers began to seek her out to socialize and to ask for her advice. Soon afterward, she was offered a job that truly was a match for her.
When we focus on ourselves – where we can grow or how we can respond differently—there isn’t a lot of time to be focused on how others could be doing it better.
What if we looked at others as though they are doing the best they can with their current level of awareness and focus on raising up our own level of awareness instead? That way, we will be a match for better things to come into our lives, just as they did for the VP of the Bank.
I invite you to take time this week to say to yourself, "I promise to give so much time to the improvement of myself that I have no time to criticize others" and then go and do something that will make your life better. |
