“Don’t yuck my yum” means exactly what you’d think: Don’t criticize this thing I like. If you don’t like something and someone else does, don’t spoil their joy. If you’re being adversely affected, sure, you can and likely should make your feelings known. But if it’s simply a matter of taste, don’t bring out the daggers. Don’t be a killjoy.
It is amazing to me how some of the most powerful people in the world yuck other people’s yums. When I say the most powerful people in the world, I am first calling out all of you parents. Just plain stop. Let your children like what they like and don’t put them down for liking it. And kids, when you grow up, act like a grownup. Let your employees like what they like without spoiling their days.
You can’t account for tastes–yours or others’. Let go of your judgment. The more you judge others, the more you’ll be judged and the more harshly. And that leads to a toxic environment whether you’re at home, work, or out in public.
You don’t have to like other people’s yums. If you hate the phrase “Don’t yuck my yum,” for instance, because of the way it sounds, you don’t have to say it. But you don’t have to criticize it either.
Focus on the positive.