Do you care what other people think?

“Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner.” – Lao Tzu

   A problem that many people complain of is being worried about what other people think.

   Well, the first thing to remember is that it’s impossible to satisfy everyone so you might as well stop trying!

   We can become so obsessed with what others think that we are unable to focus on getting anything done for ourselves, we become paralyzed with fear of doing the wrong thing, and eventually our actions and all aspects of our lives, become shaped by how we think other people perceive us.

   Does my bum look big in this? What will my workmates think if I say that? What will my friends think of me if I do that? Are they talking about me behind my back?

   It’s exhausting, it’s draining, and you can’t go on living with the restrictions of other people’s values hanging over you…….and more than likely, values that have no substance. The reality is that, even in the case of those who are keen to judge, very few of us have time to think for more than a few fleeting seconds about anyone else. In this modern society of me, me, me, we’re too busy thinking and worrying about ourselves!

   Invest time in yourself, find out what is important to you, what you really value, and then the small matter of what other people think of you becomes significantly less important. You will soon realise that you can’t control how others behave towards you, but you can control how you react to them.

   You will undoubtedly make mistakes. We are constantly evolving, developing and learning, and the only way to do that positively is to make your own choices, your own decisions and take full responsibility for them. Ensure you are “at cause” rather than effect, and if you do make a mistake then it is one you can learn from, one that comes from being true to yourself and you can’t lay the blame at someone else’s door.

   Remove negativity from your life, be honest to yourself and you can build a better life based on integrity and making you and those you really love, happy. You have the answers within you, deep down you know who you are and you know what you want.

   Worrying what people think will hold you back, constrict and limit you. Once you eliminate your fear of judgement and stop concerning yourself with other people’s opinions, you will find out who you really are………...and that's freedom.

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