5 Ways to Not Care What Other People Think
By: Taylor Franklin
Tags: Personal Growth, Mental Health, Culture, Personal Development, Self

1. Speak Up

I was silent for a long time.

I became a self-taught introvert for most of the middle school and high school.

I spoke when I was spoken to. I stayed quiet when the cool kids were around. I talked with my friends and said things to please them. I didn't want to be disliked for my opinions.

Gaining my voice back was terrifying and freeing all at the same time.

I was loud. Definitely loud. But I was happy.

Not everyone is going to like you if you speak up.

Think about the greatest people in history who used their voices to be heard. Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchhill; need I say more?

They didn't care what others thought or who hated them for what they had to say. What I'm saying is not comparable to what these courageous leaders did, but the idea that they weren't afraid to speak up because of judgment from other people is shared.

2. Accept Judgement

I feared hatred and being disliked for a long time.

But it's human nature to judge or critique others. At least most people do.

I'd like to say I don't, but when I see a post of someone on Instagram that looks a little off, I usually think to myself, "why did they post that?"

I guess what I'm trying to say is judgment is going to be there whether you like it or not. I don't like the thought of being judged, but if I fear it, I am losing everything and gaining nothing.

I'm letting people's thinking control my life.

Which is no way to live?

“Be curious, not judgemental.” Walt Whitman

If I'm going to live without fear of judgment, then I will live by not judging others. It is something I practice every day now. Let others live their lives as you live your own.

I accept criticism; it will only make me stronger. And that criticism is usually coming from someone with their own insecurities. They feel the need to push onto you.

3. Push Send

There are countless times I never hit send.

The phrase "full send" is one that I try to implement into my life no matter how ridiculous it sounds.

I cared what the response would be, whether it be me sending a text, a Snapchat, posting a picture on Instagram. The what-if mentally got the best of me, and I feared what the person on the receiving end would think.

But if you never hit send, you will never know what could have happened.

The fear that causes you to not know is worse than knowing. And trust me, I get it. Rejection or no likes or being left on read sucks. But regret, in the long run, sucks more.

Remember that it's just a message. Hit the button and bite the bullet.

Who really cares if it's a flop. Be so confident in yourself that it just doesn't matter.

4. Love Yourself

I didn't love myself for a long time, let alone like myself.

When you love yourself, you care less about what people think. So you do what you want when you want.

I can see why I was always so scared to be myself; it was because I didn't like the version of myself I was presenting. If I had loved myself more, it would have been easier to care less.

Self-love is something that takes time. I don't think we are all naturally in love with ourselves, especially in the world we live in today.

It's easy to see people that are more successful, better looking, and well appraised just by going on our phones.

But if you learn to stop comparing yourself to others and bettering your mind, body, and soul, then you will see just how amazing you are.

5. Be Honest

It's hard to know who you are and not let judgment from others scare you.

But I always remind myself this:

We have one life. One body. One spirit. One soul. One heart.

It's all yours.

There no point in hiding it or pretending to be someone you're not.

Be honest with yourself and everyone around you. It's easier said than done, but I'd rather live my life knowing I was one-hundred percent authentically me.