Get Over It! Stop Caring So Much About What Other People Think About You!
I once heard Wayne Dyer (the self-help guru) say his most important accomplishment in his life was to get "beyond the good or bad opinion of others".
So true!
He meant that he decided to stay true to himself and not to be too influenced by feeling better about himself when people were praising him, or worse about himself when people disagreed or rejected him.
Yeah, easy for him to say, being a famous millionaire!
And yet I wonder how famous he would have become if he had let his message be dampened , clouded and bent by reviews, opinions, accolades and criticism.
The world would have been left with a watered down version of his truth.
We all have a unique gift for the world
Paul Gaugin's paintings rarely come up for sale but when they do, they fetch a price of millions of dollars. He is one of the most influential post-impressionist artists, yet while he was creating his work, people were blind to the artistic trail he was blazing, and did not appreciate his work.
Claude Monet's style wasn't always well liked because he went against traditional styles of his time. He went on to become one of the leaders in Impressionism art and is now an artist that many try to copy.
Did you know that many now famous artists were scorned or ignored in their time?
What a loss it would have been if they had decided to just paint what could be sold? If they held back on expressing their true art, their vision?
The same concept applies for music, science, politics, food, speaking, clothing, entertainment, style, and world views. And you!
Great Things Happen When We Stay True to Ourselves
Wouldn't it be cool to just feel free to be you? And not care so much about what others think?
Who are you deep inside? Maybe it's time to take a chance and let the real you out?
One of the tough roots of Social Anxiety
Maybe you recognize it?
You might find yourself feeling a little sad for yourself, whistful for this greatness you have hidden deep inside you or perhaps you're thinking well that's not me. I'm not special at all, I'm struggling to just be average.
What you are hearing yourself say is just one of the symptoms of social anxiety. Social anxiety tells us to be super cautious at all times to rein in our real selves, to watch carefully for others reactions and then if we sense any sign of disapproval to walk it all back, and cover it up.
Well my friend, it's time to take your life back.
I don't care if you are young or old or what your current circumstances are. It's time to be the real you. Don't waste another minute. Get on the the road to being who you are, to re-discovering the real you, to allowing that real self to come to the surface and get developed and expressed. It's time for you to take your place in the world.
Cool Side Effect - You will Start Feeling Better About Yourself
The more you take a chance and start saying "that's their opinion" or "who cares?" when someone disapproves or disagrees.....the more you speak out about what you like and don't like.....the more you realize you have just as much right to be here and be heard as anyone else.....the more you know you have your own unique style......
The Better You Will Feel
Letting your true self out and not caring so much about what others think of you is just one step in overcoming social anxiety.
Allowing your true self out and being really authentic is not a one time thing. It's a journey. You start with little steps, start feeling more comfortable, take more steps, discover even more about your style, values and beliefs, and then grow and reveal and claim even more about who you really are and how amazing you can be.
I'm on the same journey too! I've realized that I have lots of room to learn and grow and become more of the real me.
I'll be sharing more about specific ways to overcome social anxiety in future posts.
Talk again soon! ~ Jenna
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