“Your Daily Dose” is a quick two minute read packed with bite-sized wisdom from all the great teachers. But you could also choose to turn it into something more… a powerful daily practice for personal growth. Give it a try!
A message from today’s meditation:
Today’s meditation is called “The Observer”, we could also call it “The Witness” and it’s the practice of a skill that we all have, the ability to step outside of ourselves and look at our SELF. The better we are able to be this observer, the more able we are to look at our mistakes and learn from them.
Today’s wisdom from Oprah connects well with this topic:
“Learn from every mistake because every experience, encounter, and particularly your mistakes are there to teach you and invite you into being more of who you are.” – Oprah Winfrey
“Nobody’s journey is seamless or smooth. We all stumble. We all have setbacks. It’s just life’s way of saying, ‘Time to change course.’” – Oprah Winfrey
“You will be wounded many times in your life. You’ll make mistakes. Some people will call them failures but I have learned that failure is really God’s way of saying, “Excuse me, you’re moving in the wrong direction.” It’s just an experience, just an experience.” – Oprah Winfrey
“No experience is wasted. Everything in life is happening to grow you up, to fill you up, to help you become more of who you were created to be.” – Oprah Winfrey
Our mistakes – ALL of our experiences in fact – are fertile ground for learning and growing however…
Are you able to look at YOU without judgement or criticism?
There was a time that I used to think self-judgement is a necessary tool for self-improvement, that we need to judge ourselves in order to move ourselves to change but your harsh inner-judge is actually preventing you from growing! Here’s the truth…
While you have harsh judgement and criticism of yourself, the parts of you that feel guilt and shame will try to hide as much information as possible. While you judge yourself it’s impossible to be completely honest with yourself, because it’s not entirely safe to go there.
Oprah’s words, “learn from every mistake” are incredibly valuable, but you will only have the full capacity to learn from your mistakes when you are able to be the observer of YOU in the absence of any judgement.
So if you want to really grow, if you’re serious about using the wisdom from past mistakes to make better decisions in future, then you need to make your inner environment a safe space for all the information to come to the surface, and that only happens in the absence of judgement.
To cultivate non-judgement as a way to grow, consider the following mantras:
- “I am a work in progress.”
- “I release the need to be perfect.”
- “I am worthy of love and compassion.”
- “I learn from mistakes without punishing myself.”
It’s important to remember that self-compassion is not the same as self-indulgence. It’s about treating ourselves with kindness and understanding and still… being able to hold ourselves accountable.
You can join us for today’s meditation as a practical experience of looking at yourself without judgement.
Have a beautiful day peeps!
– pierre –
Today’s LIVE meditation is: The observer.
Today’s LIVE meditation
https://youtu.be/YbHyfE9ihpk 2025
https://youtu.be/mdELbm746sA 2022
Practice the “Daily Dose”
Let’s put it into practice! Choose what works for you – daily, once a week or whenever inspiration strikes. Putting pen to paper wires the neural pathways that will create your new habits.
1 – Affirmation
Write down your favourite affirmation on a sticky note and place it somewhere that you’ll be able to see it the whole day.
- “I am a work in progress.”
- “I release the need to be perfect.”
- “I am worthy of love and compassion.”
- “I learn from mistakes without punishing myself.”
2 – A moment of reflection
Use today’s question as a journal prompt. If you don’t have the time to sit down and write, just take a moment to reflect on your response.
Witnessing Your Inner Dialogue: Write about a recent mistake or setback. First, describe it as your harsh inner critic would—what does that voice say? Then, rewrite the same experience from the perspective of a compassionate observer who is genuinely curious about what happened. What differences do you notice between these two narratives?
3 – Quotes to share
Send a quote to someone who needs it, or share them all on social media to spread the good vibes!
4 – Q&A for deeper learning
Read through the questions and answers and write down at least one “aha moment” that clicked for you.
Q1: Isn’t self-judgment necessary to motivate change? Won’t I become complacent without it?
A: This is a common misconception. Self-judgment actually blocks growth by creating an unsafe environment where honesty can’t flourish. Motivation for change comes from clarity and self-awareness, not from harsh criticism. When you observe yourself with compassion, you can see situations more accurately and make intentional changes without the paralysis that shame creates.
Q2: What’s the difference between being a non-judgmental observer and making excuses for bad behavior?
A: Non-judgmental observation doesn’t mean avoiding accountability. You can acknowledge what you did, understand its impact, and commit to doing better—all without adding layers of shame and self-punishment. The observer sees clearly and takes responsibility; the judge condemns and creates defensiveness. Accountability without judgment is actually more effective because it doesn’t trigger shame-based hiding.
Q3: How do I start practicing being “The Observer” in my daily life?
A: Begin with small moments. When you notice yourself making a mistake or feeling triggered, pause and imagine stepping slightly outside yourself. Describe what’s happening as if you’re a neutral documentarian: “I notice I’m feeling defensive” or “I see that I reacted quickly without thinking.” This creates just enough distance to see clearly without the weight of self-criticism.
Q4: Why do the parts of me that feel guilt and shame hide when I judge myself?
A: It’s a protective mechanism. Just as you wouldn’t share vulnerabilities with someone who will attack you, the vulnerable parts of yourself won’t reveal information in a hostile inner environment. Shame thrives in hiding, and judgment reinforces the need to hide. When we create safety through non-judgment, these parts can finally speak up, giving us the full picture we need for growth.
Q5: Can I practice self-compassion and still have high standards for myself?
A: Absolutely. In fact, self-compassion often leads to higher achievement because you’re not wasting energy on self-attack. You can hold yourself to excellent standards while treating yourself with kindness when you fall short. Think of how a good coach operates—they have high expectations but offer supportive feedback, not demoralizing criticism.
Q6: What if my mistakes have genuinely hurt others? Doesn’t that deserve harsh judgment?
A: When we’ve caused harm, taking responsibility matters deeply. However, self-punishment doesn’t repair the harm or prevent future mistakes. What does help is clearly seeing what happened, understanding why it happened, making amends where possible, and learning how to act differently. This process works better with self-compassion because shame often keeps us stuck in defensiveness rather than moving toward repair and growth.
Q7: How long does it take to shift from harsh self-judgment to compassionate observation?
A: This is a lifelong practice, not a destination. You’ll likely notice some shifts immediately—moments where you catch yourself being harsh and can soften the tone. Over time, with consistent practice, the observer perspective becomes more natural and automatic. Be patient with yourself in this process (that’s part of the practice itself). Every time you choose observation over judgment, you’re rewiring neural pathways and creating new patterns.