Quote Of The Week

Do you struggle with worrying about what people think about you? We are a society that is mightily influenced by the words of others. All too often, we take what others say to heart when we don’t need to.

Although everyone is entitled to an opinion, that doesn’t mean people should state their opinions unsolicited. If you are someone who thinks you need to ask friends and family for their opinions before you can do anything, you need to learn how to stop putting so much weight on other people’s views.

It's less about not listening to other people's opinions and more about not feeling the pressure to live up to them.  We've created a very blurred line between listening and living up to when we hear something, especially if it's fear-based, pressure-based, or stress-based. Not caring so much about other people’s opinions is a skill we hone over time.

We all ask others for advice because it is human nature to be curious about how others would handle a situation. Keep in mind that unless the person you are asking is a professional, the answer they give you will be based on their own perception or experience. The answer will not necessarily have anything to do with you.   When you ask for some advice, you have to recognize that it is impure. It is affected by the biases we all have. So when you ask someone for their opinion, you have to recognize where it's coming from.

When you take into account that people’s opinions come from their own experiences, realize that you’re likely to get multiple different answers. This can be confusing and stressful when trying to decide how you want to handle something. Instead of asking everyone, find someone you can rely on for different situations and go to that particular person for advice in that area. Stop blurting out your challenges to any and everyone.