It’s natural to have some level of concern when it comes to what others think or feel about us. However, when what others think and feel about us begins to influence the way we feel about ourselves, particularly in a negative manner, this can be quite problematic.
In order to thrive in life, we must learn how to insulate ourselves from what others think so that our confidence is not altered in a detrimental manner. The following outlines some ways to prevent others from impacting the way you feel about yourself.
Highlight Your Strengths
When you focus on your strengths you highlight those things about yourself that are positive. This emphasis can help you not to hyper-focus on potential negatives that may be pointed out or highlighted by another person.
When you know what you are good at and what you bring to the table you are less inclined to rely on the opinions of others for validation and you will be less likely to be impacted by any negative opinion you may encounter from someone else.
Remove Negative Influences
If you find that there are individuals in your life who are persistently negative or critical of you, it is probably wise to remove them from your life or at least limit interactions with them. Not only that, if you notice that you are dependent upon an opinion of someone else to the point where you find it hard to act independently, then you may also need to create some space between you. Keeping these individuals at a distance will help you to keep a positive view of yourself.
Highlight Your Successes
Just as highlighting your strengths can help you to remain confident about yourself, focusing on your successes can serve the same purpose. When you can clearly see a record of your achievements it again helps you to stand firm in who you are and to be less influenced by the opinions of others. Keeping a regular track of your successes can help to boost your confidence and strengthen your opinion of yourself.
Boost Self-Esteem
Taking measures to increase your self-esteem is an important part of fighting against letting others dictate how you feel about yourself. Confidence in yourself and your abilities is one of the best defenses in this area because self-assurance keeps you from needing others to validate and approve of you. This means you are more likely to stay true to who you are and your convictions as opposed to changing or getting discouraged because of the opinion of someone else.
Remember They’re Imperfect Too
While it can be easy to attach a lot of value to what others think of us, especially if they are certain people (i.e., parents, close friends, colleagues, etc.), it’s important to keep everything in its proper perspective. While these individuals matter to us, they are still very much human and their opinion doesn’t hold more weight than your own. It’s okay if someone has a negative opinion of you because you are not defined by what others think or feel about you.
Additionally, they are just as prone to imperfections and mistakes meaning that how they feel must be taken with a grain of salt. When you remember that they are equal and not superior it can help you to keep everything in perspective and not let yourself place too much weight on what they think to the point that your whole identity is altered for the negative.
You don’t have to let others influence your opinion of yourself. You can stand firm in who you are and embrace your strengths and successes as a means of gaining confidence that will help you not to be shaken by what others think.
References
Stop caring what people think – 5 steps. (2021, April 30). You Are Beyond Enough. https://youarebeyondenough.com/stop-caring-what-people-think/
