Tips to soothe your worries of what others think of you

It is natural to want others to like and respect us, but worrying too much about the thoughts others hold about you could negatively impact your mental health. Just like most other seemingly pointless traits we humans have, caring about what other people think of us is an evolutionary adaptation.

Even though today we might not need to stick with our tribes to survive, we do need other people for stimulation and companionship. Humans are social animals, so placing the weight on other people’s opinions of you is entirely natural and largely unavoidable. In some cases, putting too much time and energy into worrying what other people think can be harmful to your self-image and mental health.

By taking others’ opinions as truth, you can end up in a vicious cycle of insecurity and vulnerability. But, caring about how our actions impact people around us also plays a crucial role in maintaining meaningful relationships.

You would care if you unknowingly caused harm to a friend or family member. Although it might cause temporary distress, adjusting your actions to remedy the relationship will be ultimately worthwhile. Here are a few tips on how to stop worrying about other people’s opinions of you.

Put up boundaries
You want to protect your mind from getting sidetracked by those who don’t matter, so you have to put up some guards. Here are some typical ones that make it a little easier.
Don’t share your dreams and goals with people who won’t support you fully. On the flip side, share your goals and dreams with those who will support you and let their encouragement fuel you.

Block people on social media that you already anticipate problems with, or expect criticism from. Unfollow social media accounts that make you feel bad, guilty, distracted, emotional, negative, or self-conscious. Anything that messes with your headspace.

Connect with people, even strangers, who are on a similar path, and cheer each other on. Be a positive force for others too.

Connect with people who are way ahead of you, and let it be a source of inspiration and motivation. Successful people aren’t the ones usually slinging mud. They understand the journey.

Expect blowback
There will always be periodic haters out there, and that’s to be expected no matter how many boundaries you put in place or how successful you get. Just remember that every single celebrity, music artist, or successful person on the planet still has people who say terrible things about them, but they don’t let it stop them, and neither should you. Start aligning yourself with real players and see how they operate.

Create a support system
Your circle determines a lot about your mindset. Who are you surrounding yourself with? It is time to start getting rid of or distancing yourself from toxic or negative people, and double up on the great people in your life.

Many people don’t have supportive people in their home or friend circle. So what do you do in this case? 

Create one virtually. Watch inspirational content on YouTube and surround yourself with people who want you to win.

Go all in
You have put up boundaries, prepared for blowback and gathered your army of support. Now, it is time to go all in.

What you are likely to find is that you still care what people think, but it is the right people, and when the wrong people criticise you, you will start to see it for what it is – toxic, fear-based nonsense. Small, scared people criticise others.

You will be surrounded by people who reinforce your positive mindset. People who have never done what you are doing will never understand it and that is okay. Let them be.

You are on a new journey now. As you move forward, those critical voices will get further and further away and matter less and less. Before you know it, you will be so far ahead that you won’t hear them at all. And that’s how you stop caring what other people think.

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