We judge people on their actions. We look at their history, accomplishments, qualifications, and experiences, and then we want that person in our lives. We rarely consider what the person thinks of themselves. A good builder is good, not because they say and believe themselves to be good, but because they create sturdy, reliable, and safe houses.

Yet, when we judge ourselves, we do so based on momentary feelings. We may be positive, believing ourselves to be a paragon of beauty, virtue, and capability. Or we may be negative, believing ourselves to be total failures, unworthy of love and respect. These judgements are rarely accurate. We are too close to the subject matter, and our egos have a vested interest in keeping itself protected. We have the capability to justify anything. To distort reality such that our actions become the cornerstone of morality, truth, and rightness. When we acknowledge our shortcomings, we are far more forgiving of those shortcomings in ourselves than in others.

The present moment is all that exists. The past is gone, and the future has not yet come. We are continuously dealing with ramifications of the past. The choices we made then, will forever impact us today. Similarly, the impact of our choices today, will forever reverberate into our future. Yet neither the future nor the past exists as more than a construct. We are impacted by it, and need to plan accordingly, but our lived experience is one of repeated present moments strung together.