Sara-Mai ConwayPublished January 19, 2024 · Updated October 21, 2026 · 1 min read
Printable Worksheet
Assessing vs Judging Others
PDF·160 KB
A mindful companion to this worksheet
Working with thoughts
Thoughts arise on their own, but the ones we believe shape our lives. “Assessing vs Judging Others” is a chance to notice which stories you have been carrying, and to ask whether they still serve you.
How mindfulness can help
Mindfulness shows thoughts as events in awareness rather than facts about the world. When we can step back and watch a thought without immediately believing it, we get a little quiet authority over our inner life. We choose which voices to follow, and which to thank and let go.
Gentle steps to try
1Catch the thought. When a familiar story shows up, you might quietly note “thinking” and watch it the way you would watch a cloud.
2Look into it. Ask: is this definitely true? What do I know directly, without the commentary?
3Loosen the grip. Try saying “a thought is here that says…” instead of “I think…” and notice the space that opens.
4Choose what to feed. You cannot control what arises, but you can choose what you keep giving your attention to.
You are not your thoughts. You are the awareness they appear in, stay a while, and pass through. You can trust that quieter knowing.
Assessing vs Judging Others: What’s the Difference?
According to the dictionary, ‘Assess‘ means, “To determine the value, importance, or extent of” and defines ‘Judge‘ as, “To form an opinion about through careful weighing of evidence”.
In everyday life, the two words often work differently from the dictionary definitions. We tend to judge or voice our opinion quickly about other people or events around us. Assessing, on the other hand, means we determine a person or thing’s value by collecting facts and putting them into perspective.
For teachers, therapists & coaches
Need a worksheet for a specific client?
Describe your client and what you're working on together, and MindfulPro writes a client worksheet or handout for them.
