I REALLY DO! There’s the old adage that you shouldn’t care what other people think of you. I say poppycock!
I think this advice limits our growth, and does more damage then good.
Have you ever noticed when this “advice” is given to you? It’s only when someone says something to you that you disagree with. That makes you uncomfortable.
Honestly, when was the last time someone said “hey you’re awesome” and while you were beaming from the compliment your friend said “you shouldn’t care what they think.”
Ah…NEVER!!
Here’s what I have learned about myself. The more I CLING to the notion of “who cares” what others think, the more I actually care.
And that was my ah-ha. I was “clinging” to what was being said. Caring about what people said wasn’t the issue, I was attached to what they were saying. Being attached to the feedback created defensiveness, denial and deflection.
My new perspective: No matter what someone says to you, whether it’s good, bad or ugly, it’s indication how we are being perceived in that moment of time. It’s an opportunity for us to learn about ourself.
You don’t have to agree with what is being said. You don’t have to accept it. However you can get curious about it and then figure out what you want to do with it.
I offer this. Care about what others are saying about you just don’t be attached to what they’ve said.