opinion

Do you have one? I surely do. We all do. You know the joke. Here’s the thing though, why do we care so much about other people’s opinions of us and what we do and how we play and how we dress or cut our hair? Why, when we think so much of ourselves as humans, do we care what some nameless bloke on insta or fb or the comment section of youtube says or even quietly thinks about us?

“I have often wondered how it is that every man loves himself more than all the rest of men, but yet sets less value on his own opinion of himself than on the opinion of others.”

– Marcus Aurelius

How strange it is that we waste so much time and energy worrying about the opinion of others. Of course we would like for our mentors and teachers and parents to be proud of what we do and who we have become…but strangers? People who have no real knowledge of us or what we’ve been through? People who probably fold their towels wrong and like weak coffee and believe what they saw on faux news? Why do we care?

My guess is that we are constantly vacillating between loving ourselves more than the rest of men and feeling like absolute fakes. Somewhere between the Dunning Kruger Effect and Imposter Syndrome. We are looking for validation. Acceptance into the tribe. But, the reality is that we likely sit somewhere in the middle and the worry is not only wasteful but detrimental to our well being.

So, we should own it! Here I am doing what I do, looking as I look, playing how I play! Instead of worrying, our time will be so much better spent focusing on making improvements that will make us happier with who we are. Action and growth and improvement.