Last night, as I stirred in my sleep, a thought popped into my head. Uninvited. Just… there. Ever had that happen? One moment, your mind is peaceful, and the next—bam! A thought arrives, unannounced.
Byron Katie, in her book Loving What Is, compares thoughts to clouds. They drift in, hang around for a bit, and then move on—unless we grab onto them. Ever noticed that brief moment when you first wake up, where your mind is still? And then, out of nowhere, a thought appears. You didn’t choose to think it, it just showed up.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Why is it that one thought can be lovely and another can fill you with dread? The answer is simple: It’s not the thought itself that causes suffering, but the story we attach to it.
A thought is harmless—until we believe it.
The moment we latch onto a thought and take it as truth—without questioning it—it becomes a belief. And some of these beliefs have been running the show for years, shaping our actions, decisions, and even our confidence.
In my coaching, I see this all the time. People unknowingly create mental roadblocks, spinning themselves into a downward spiral of negativity. And one of the biggest culprits? The fear of judgment.





Sound familiar? When we give these thoughts power, we hand over the reins of our life to what we think others might be thinking. The fear of judgment stops people from stepping forward, trying new things, or even enjoying what they love. It leads to self-doubt, procrastination, and eventually—paralysis.
I know this firsthand. Remember my post about my fear of social media? The worry about putting myself out there? Was social media the problem? No. Could I control what people might think or say? Also no. But if I let those thoughts dictate my actions, I wouldn’t be in control of my life—the imagined opinions of others would be.
And here’s the truth: some people will have negative thoughts about you. That’s their business. Not yours. You can’t control their thoughts. But you can control yours.
So, give them permission to think whatever they want. Let them live their lives. And you? Give yourself permission to live yours.
Go all in on the things that bring you joy—your hobbies, your family, your career, that new challenge you’ve been secretly longing to try. Because at the end of the day, the only thoughts that truly shape your life are the ones you choose to believe.
So tell me—what would you do if you weren’t afraid of being judged?
What’s the thing you’ve secretly yearned to try?
What conversation have you been avoiding?
What dream is waiting for you to say yes?
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