Marsha GillAre you worried about what everyone thinks? Are you worried about what some think? Believe you me; you’re not alone. This is a common concern that faces people in every society.
Scientists believe this concern is rooted in evolution. There was a time when being ostracized from the group meant certain death. You couldn’t survive on your own 30,000 years ago. You needed help. It was helpful to be concerned about how you appeared to others. As we get older, we learn how to separate our thoughts and emotions from everyone else’s. Unfortunately, many of us continue to seek and plead for approval from others. This can chip away at our self-worth, self-esteem, and happiness. For many of us, our self-worth is strongly tied to what other people think of us.
Here are seven life hacks on how you let go of outdated programming and live life on your terms:
1. Life is happening. From the time we enter school until the day we say goodbye to life, we seem to believe that others are super focused on what we’re doing, how well we’re doing it, and why we’re doing it. In reality, life is happening, and most people have other concerns that take priority.
2. The smoke clears quickly. Even if you get everyone’s tongues wagging about your divorce, affair, job loss, or nose job, everyone will move on quickly. It won’t be a week before people go back to their own priorities.
3. Regardless of what you do, some people will approve, and some others won’t. You’ll receive compliments on your new car from some folks, while others will look down on you for making what they consider to be a frivolous purchase. You lose 50 pounds, and you’ll receive compliments from some, while others will tell you that you look unhealthy and need to see a doctor. You get a cat? You should’ve gotten a dog. You saw Bruno Mars and the Silk Sonic (best show ever!? Their music stinks. You can’t please everyone. Ever. So, stop trying.
4. They don’t know you. No one knows what is best for you. Sometimes, you can’t even figure that out for yourself. I’ll go out on a limb and say you have a better idea than your cubicle mate at work. Others don’t know you well enough to have a valid opinion.
5. The end results are yours to deal with, good or bad. You have to live with it. The results of your choices are your responsibility. The bad choices you make ..guess what are yours to clean up. The good results you receive in life are yours to enjoy. Make your own decisions because you’re alone in dealing with the consequences.
6. Life is way too short. Time is fleeting, especially as you get older. One day just melts into the next. It only makes sense to live your life your way.
7. It gets easier. Once you stop basing your choices on the opinions of others, you become more confident in the fact that it doesn’t matter what others think anyway.
Truth is followers don’t equal friends. You don’t need many people in your circle to thrive in today’s world. Those who matter are on your side. As for the rest…well, you fill in the blank.
