Our thoughts affect our reactions, choices, and life satisfaction: so why are we allowing other people to tell us what to think?
Our thoughts tangibly consume the hours in our days. Though I’ve got a few goals for my family and myself this new year, I want to daily renew my thoughts so I am enabled and inspired toward a path of growth, connection, and purpose.
And that means I need to learn not to care what other people think.
One of the most repeated ‘voices’ that distract us from our goals is the collective voice of what others might think. As a television actress, Lucille Ball had a lot of practice responding to other people’s opinions, and she learned, ‘not everyone likes me, but not everyone matters‘.
I would like to believe that everyone should like each other, and they should all consider what other people think. (But sometimes we need to learn NOT to care what other people think…)
I am a caricature of idealism, though. (You know it because you are reading a website called, Capturing the Charmed Life).
Here’s the irony though: I don’t naturally like everyone either, nor do I always care to listen to what other people think.
I want to. But I just don’t.
Still, I know that we’re all a reflection of our Creator and therefore, we have intrinsic worth and value so we should most certainly do our utmost to honour the Creator’s stamp on one another.
You know what though? Not everyone naturally likes us either.
When we attune our ears to others’ opinions, we do ourselves a disservice.
We waste time sifting through other people’s thoughts about us, or the thoughts we think other people have about us.
We can give other people’s thoughts more value than necessary.
- These people are likely not thinking about us nearly as much as we think they are anyway.
- Sometimes people share offhand opinions but don’t really care too much about that opinion.
- But when others are heavily, truly, critical, why are we asking them their opinion anyway?
But how do I really learn not to care what other people think?
Not everyone likes me, but not everyone matters.
Yet, other people’s thoughts, even those that think differently than us, can add an alternative perspective, or at the very least, affirm our reasons for understanding things the way we do.
Brene Brown, author of Daring Greatly, The Gifts of Imperfection, and Rising Strong, is definitely one of those voices for the mental pantry.
If you haven’t sifted some of Brene Brown’s thoughts, I encourage you to stick around as I sift through some of her most well-known quotes.
- 7 ways Brene Brown rescued me from one of those homeschool days
- How Brene Brown Can Teach Homeschoolers to Be Confident
- How Brene Brown’s Inspiring Thoughts Have Informed My Homeschool
If you want to take care of your homeschool mama self, take care of your thoughts and learn not to care what other people think
People also ask:
- Where do I find your book, Homeschool Mama Self-Care: Nurturing the Nurturer?
- Raising Critical Thinkers: A Parent’s Guide to Raising Wise Kids with Julie Bogart
- learn not to care what other people think about your homeschool choice
- How to Plan for Your Upcoming Homeschool When You’re Not Sure You Want to Continue
- Do you offer one-on-one homeschool (& life) coaching?
Teresa Wiedrick
I help homeschool mamas shed what’s not working in their homeschool & life, so they can show up authentically, purposefully, and confidently in their homeschool & life.
I will have to check this out, I read her’s The Gifts of Imperfection but not this one. I’ll definitely stick around for all the salt. 🙂
Yes, I just read that one too. Amazing stuff. Glad she ‘came out of the closet’ acknowledging her feelings of shame…it’s helped millions.
I am in the middle of listening to Rising Strong on audiobook. I did the same with Daring Greatly. Brene is one wise woman.
Absolutely!
Why have people who are critical towards you in your circle – a very important question.
Exactly.
Just what I needed to read today, thank you
I’m so glad to hear it. Tricky stuff, this discussion. Because we DO care about what other people think, but sometimes we need to learn not to. I’d love to hear how it specifically resonates for you!