I should have my own VIP pass to the Judgment Pool—I keep diving in headfirst! And this time, I wasn’t judging someone else’s choices. Nope. This round was all about me… and my aching body.

Just this morning, I caught myself in the deep end.

“Crap! Wonder what I did to cause this pain?” my loud, mean, judgy inner voice shouted silently

“What did I eat?”

“What negative thoughts have I been thinking?”

“Did I pull a muscle? How could I be so careless!”

Within seconds, I’d put myself on trial and declared myself guilty. The suffering came on strong—complete with victimhood and a dash of what my mom used to call “wallowing in self-pity.” It was not pretty.

Have you ever done that? Picked apart your own body, emotions, or decisions? If you’re human, chances are you’ve swum a few laps in the Judgment Pool yourself.

Thankfully, I remembered to breathe. I silently recited the first Be Love Principle: Greet everyone with an open heart, without an agenda. My new question became: “How could I greet this pain without the agenda of fixing it?”

The moment I shifted to curiosity instead of condemnation, my inner voice softened. I could meet my body’s pain with love, curiosity, and compassion. That space allowed fresh insights to bubble up.

The truth? The pain wasn’t a punishment for some thoughtless mistake. I wasn’t a victim of anything but my own judgment. The discomfort, physical or emotional, was simply an invitation to realign with the divine wisdom of my heart.

And here’s the thing about heart wisdom: it may guide me to see a doctor, visit a healer, change my diet, or simply rest. But I can recognize it because it always feels true, loving, and kind. Judgment, on the other hand, comes from ego—it always feels harsh, cold, and punishing.

I know I’ll find myself back at the Judgment Pool again, it’s part of being human. But each time I catch myself mid-dive, I have a choice. I can swim toward the warm waters of love, curiosity, and compassion. And that, I’ve found, is where real healing happens.