One Powerful Truth to Help You Stop Caring What Others Think

(Everything I am referring to in this post assumes that what you choose to do is legal and morally acceptable.)

Something that drives the actions of every individual on this earth is the idea of what others think of us, whether you accept that or not. Regardless of what you do or think, the reasoning behind it often lies in the belief that someone else will view you either highly or poorly. We care so much about the opinions of other people—our parents, friends, and even strangers—that it can hold us back in certain aspects of life out of fear of judgment and being seen as the black sheep.

If any of this sounds familiar, I want to share a piece of advice that helped me live differently and stop caring about what others think of me. I’ve written about it in other blog posts, but it’s so important that I wanted to dedicate an entire post to diving deeper into this perspective.

There are over 8 billion people on this earth, and not a single one sees the world in the same way. We’re shaped by our culture, relationships, and life experiences, all of which play a significant role in every aspect of who we are—both good and bad. All of your insecurities and fears can be traced back to your past, as can all of your goals and desires. No one else has the same perspectives or opinions as you.

With that in mind, it’s impossible to impress everyone in the world. Something you do could inspire one group of people, yet be criticized by others. The people you might be trying to impress have never walked a day in your shoes, so your goals and perspectives are far more powerful if they’re authentic. Even if it’s the opinions of close friends and family you care about, remember that you can’t impress any one person with everything you do, so it’s okay if you and your loved ones have different paths in life. At the end of the day, someone will judge you even if you’re “perfect,” so let them judge the real you rather than a performative version of yourself.

This leads me to my last point: you have the passions, ideas, perspectives, and experiences you do for a reason. Letting what others think of you dim your light is ultimately more harmful. Every human is unique, and we were born that way, so it’s okay to drift from the crowd and be your own individual. You’ll accomplish much more this way, and you’ll even inspire others by being your authentic, carefree self.

Thank you for reading this post. I am genuinely passionate about the idea that we can be our free, authentic selves without fear of judgment.