When we find ourselves responding defensively to a judgment or criticism, we can rest assured that a healing opportunity has arisen. If we go into our defensive stance and ask ourselves what it would feel like to own the judgment, we usually find the reason we’re defending. The ideas of letting ourselves feel the pain of knowing our behavior affected someone negatively can seem unbearable. When we do, however, begin to explore those feelings and admit our actions created unpleasant feelings in another, it’s not only humbling, it’s healing to…

Both sides.

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