Whether we like it or not, unfair, and often unfounded judgment is around every corner. It’s human nature to have opinions and unfortunately, some people struggle to keep those opinions to themselves when they aren’t wanted. We’re told that it’s necessary to learn how to not care about what others think, but that’s easier said than done.
Opinions surround us, especially with the exceptional influence of social media these days. We don’t always feel free to be, dress, or speak out the way we want through fear of the judgment of others.
Changing how deeply affected you are by what others think is freeing and could even change your entire life for the better.
How to Not Care about What Others Think?
1. Know It’s Not Really about You
Unfortunately, people can be cruel, and they do have opinions about us that we wish they didn’t. Even worse is that some people feel compelled to share these unpleasant opinions with us, behind your back with others or even with the world. This can be anxiety-inducing and can make us want to hideaway.
The truth is, nothing these people say or do is ever really about you anyway, it’s about themselves. There are a few main reasons why someone might hold negative opinions or make rude comments about others. Often, people note in others what they fear in themselves.
For example, someone might criticize your style because they are worried about their own. Similarly, people criticize what they’re jealous of. They want what you have and this manifests as judgment sometimes.
For these reasons, you can rest assured that worrying about what others think is unnecessary because they aren’t all that interested in you at all. They’re only thinking about themselves.
2. Focus on Your Goals
One of the best ways you can stop yourself worrying about what others think of you is to focus your attention on yourself. Commit to being yourself and pursuing your own goals because when you’re happy, no one else’s opinion matters.
Sometimes, we give up on our goals because we’re concerned about what other people will think of us. This only leads to a lifetime of misery and regrets. Wouldn’t you prefer to achieve your dreams, regardless of what anyone else says? When you’re satisfied with your life, what others think can’t get to you at all.
3. Trust Only a Few Opinions
When you find yourself worried about what others will think of you, ask yourself this, do their opinions really matter to you? The people that you’re worried about, do you respect them or even like them at all?
Typically, the people we fear judging us are bullies and people we don’t want to associate with anyway. The only opinions that should matter to you are those of your closest friends and family. These are the people you love, and most importantly, the people who love you.
Only opinions that come from a place of love should have any importance to you. You’ll feel much lighter when you stop caring about what others think of you. Instead of letting their opinions weigh you down, accept that there will always be people who don’t like you or don’t like what you do.
The healthiest way to live is to truly understand that their judgments don’t have any relevance because those people aren’t important to you.
4. Know Your Worth
The best way to stop worrying about the opinions of other people is to build up your own sense of self-worth. Become strong enough in yourself that outside influences don’t bother you.
Instead of letting the comments of others get to you and reduce your self-esteem, you can build a strong inner sense of self-worth that can’t be broken down by the opinions of people you don’t care about.
Caring about what others think of you is fuelled by self-doubt. In order to stop yourself from worrying about anyone else’s opinions, you should affirm your own opinions of yourself. Acknowledge your own strengths and take note of your favorite parts of your personality.
You should also celebrate your own accomplishments and successes. Ask your close family and friends for ideas, as the people who love you are often better at counting your strengths than you are.
When you feel good about yourself, the opinions and comments of other people won’t be able to get to you.
5. Be Realistic
When it comes to learning how to not care about what others think, the best way to move forward is to be realistic. Nothing is ever as bad as our minds have us believe.
More often than not, the people we’re worried about aren’t thinking about us at all. We might think that they’re judging us for the way we’re dressed, what we said or what we’re doing, but it’s more likely that they aren’t interested at all.
If you swapped places with the people you’re worried about, would you be judgemental, or would you barely be paying attention at all?
We don’t often dwell on someone doing something strange or wearing something odd, so there’s no need to worry that others will do this to you. It is only our overthinking minds that convince us that our situation is something different.
Dramatic and negative thoughts tell us untrue things such as “I’ll never make friends”, and “everyone will hate me”. Realistic thinking tells us that not everyone has to like us anyway and that there is always a possibility of making friends, it happens naturally.
Worrying about what anyone else has to say about you can ruin your life. Instead of chasing your dreams and being whoever, and whatever, you want to be, you shy away through fear of being judged. Your whole life could be changed by learning how to not care about what others think.
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interesting article, I support every opinion of the author. Yes, unfortunately, people today are too cruel and envious, they can not calmly look at someone else’s success. so no matter how banal it may sound, but if you are being discussed, then you are ahead.
And, in my opinion, a good option to ignore the opinion of other people is healthy selfishness, know that you live only once and this is only your life, so do whatever you want.