What Other People Think

I know I give too much power to other people's thoughts (real and imagined)...and more often than I'd like.  As always, logic can and often does step in and tells me I shouldn't care, that it doesn't matter whether someone sees me in a swimsuit, or that someone made me feel like a total idiot (or rather, that I let them make me feel that way).  Unfortunately as alluded to before, my logical voice is quite often a total pipsqueak.

I'm always trying to amp up its volume though.  Being true to myself and not caring what others think is something I have actively worked on over the last decade.  I'm not perfect at it and it's still so annoying when it kicks in and I agonize over some perceived faux pas far longer than I need to, or worry if my life choices or mannerisms will offend someone close to me, or worse...make someone not like me.  

Well while everyone likes to be liked, at the end of the day it is most important to be true to yourself.

Most of us will probably always care a little bit, I think that's part of being human - we are social creatures.  But we should never let anyone hinder our self worth, creativity, uniqueness, freedom, light, or joy.  People are entitled to their own opinion of us, but just remember it is none of our business.  

Telling ourselves not to care is good, but it it is probably more helpful to work on building ourselves up, liking ourselves, and feeling confident in our value.  Frankly, it is much easier to stop caring about what someone else thinks of us...when we already know we're awesome.

In the language of flowers, Hepatica Nobilis means Confidence.
Photo credit: Wisley with SRGC