You aren’t alone if you wish you lived a more carefree and fulfilling life by learning how to stop caring what people think.
Despite how it feels most days, it is possible. Maybe you’ve already heard this before, but this time you wish the notion would finally sink in. The truth is, the majority of people aren’t thinking about you nearly as much as you probably imagine they are.
But the question is, how can you learn how to stop caring what people think, once and for all? Particularly if you are sensitive to other people’s opinions or have been conditioned to be a people-pleaser? Here are a few tips for you if you are ready to learn how to stop caring what people think:
Find some perspective
Unfortunately, most people are too wrapped up in their thoughts and actions to give much thought to the impression you leave. In other words, you aren’t the only one overthinking things.
However, is this truth all that unfortunate after all? If it’s true that most people aren’t thinking about us half as much as we think they are, then can we not carry on with our days with more peace and reassurance?
People indeed have their own insecurities and enough that occupies their minds. Try to maintain a perspective that, while it would be great if we lived in a world where everyone knew how to stop caring what people think, other people are likely experiencing similar thoughts.
Stop overthinking
Try to stop overthinking in terms of what people may or may not be thinking about you. It’s far too easy to get carried away by your narrative – or rather, the narrative you think is going on in someone else’s mind. For instance, if you think you did something awkward or are wearing an outfit that might not appease a random bystander, and now you are all that person is thinking about.
There are countless things like this that many people worry about daily. So what’s an effective way to stop overthinking and prioritizing others’ opinions? It will help you to take a step back and question your thoughts to break up these unhealthy thinking patterns.
Notice if you are only paying attention to the worst part of a situation and jumping to conclusions. Try to catch your thoughts before they carry your positive mood and confidence away with them. Remember, you are not your thoughts, and you are in control of these cognitive distortions.
Release the concept of perfection
Your tendency to care what people think may stem from your perfectionist thinking and behavior. This could be a sign that you are a perfectionist.
Whether you would consider yourself a perfectionist or not, you must let go of your unrealistic standards and self-criticism. If you are always criticizing yourself, and therefore believe that others are always criticizing you, it will severely impact your self-esteem and mental health.
Learning how to stop caring what other people think is not the easiest journey. You might struggle to release the feeling that if you were different or better in some way, people would like you more. You should realize that this pursuit is often futile. Not only is perfection an illusion, but another’s thoughts – vocalized or not – typically have more to do with them than you.