Advice on Caring

It can sometimes seem like people will always have their own opinions and thoughts about every aspect of your life, but your life is none of their business, nor should you make theirs yours. You cannot give people the right to dictate your life, because everyone has their own background. Most importantly, only you know what is best for yourself, so that leaves you with full responsibility for your life. In our generation, we spend so much time worrying about what others think, that we lose insight on how we actually feel about ourselves.

Being singled out in a crowd and feeling differently than everyone else is not a way that someone wants to feel in our society. We constantly think things like, “how do I look?” or “will people laugh at me?” This is because so many of us care about what people think. People are so desperate to feel a sense of approval from others that they live their life as someone they aren’t. This is commonly seen today on social media. With the hundreds of editing sources we have available today, more than half the time, you can’t tell what’s filtered and what’s not. Not only that, but before posting a picture, the person who posted it might have been staring at it for hours before deciding if it looked good enough to post. All of this is because of insecurities, which come from comparing yourself to influencers and friends. Additionally, this can be seen in schools, social groups, extracurricular activities, etc. Some people have find it difficult to be themselves in these areas, as they don’t know how others around them will react. This all falls under the umbrella of caring what people might think. An ancient philosopher, Lao Tzu, once said, “Care about what others think and you’ll always be their prisoner.” This is a powerful quote that states that if your life is always wrapped up in the opinion of others, you will never get to live it like you want to.

Personally, I spent a lot of my life caring about what people thought about me. Between social media and “popularity” in schools, it was difficult to be myself without feeling constantly judged. This led to me being less social and lacking friendships. It turned out that it was all just a waste of time. The more I grew out of my shell and slowly started living my life as if I didn’t care as much, it felt effortless talking to people and making friends. I can sincerely say my life has turned around in a positive way by doing what I want, and not what others expect. It is always easier said than done, but other people's opinions should never define you.