I think about you constantly, whether it's with my mind or my heart. ~ Albany Bach Reid

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Does it matter?

My question of the day: Does it matter what others think?

Maybe for some, people think that the answer is not simple. Some seem to say no. Others, yes. Sometimes certain people could not even walk out on the street without thinking what people might be talking about them.

Why should it bother?

I've heard all the time, (and yeah I used to think so too) that we should really behave or else people would start saying things about you. Maybe it's the culture or the orthodox's upbringing but it's all people can think of.

It is true that we are human, and we use the point of being human as an excuse to display our fallibility. What people say to us or about us leaves a big impression on the way we judge ourselves.

Okay, here's the thing. Face it, gossip is engaging, it makes us become a part of the community, it is social, and the more slander there is the more interesting it is. Yes, hands downs, I have myself been guilty about this lowly habit, but we don’t realize its devastating effect on people.


One thing for sure we can’t stop people from talking, but we can definitely shield ourselves from gossip, by not allowing it to affect us.

Let see, here's an example. If someone was to point towards you and say, Hey look at the crazy woman with orange hair. You don’t have orange hair, so it won’t bother you, right. In fact you just may turn around and think that the person saying that is completely crazy. So why when someone criticizes our behavior, should it bother us.

Just as orange or green hair is their perspective, similarly their idea of your character is their perspective. Am I making any sense?

So.

Why should it matter what people think? As long as we are in the right, show ourselves some respect. Never ever allow any one (and very often it is the people who don’t even matter) to affect us. If anyone puts us down, in any manner, it is not about us. Right?

It is just about other person’s perceptions. Blurgh!

A wise man said once that 'If we listen to what people say, we may as well give up living.'




p/s: You think there's a quick effective way to stop worrying about what others think of us?


2 comments:

umm ruman said...

Dear Suria...

Just don't be bother what other people might say about ourselves or else we will never gonna make it. Just be ourselves. As long as we are content and abide to the culture of law, religion then we are safe.

People can say whatever they wanna say because that is the only way to spice up their life; criticizing other people because they got nothing more useful to do in their life.

Life is to short to think about those craps. What the heck! Let them be, enjoy and appreciate what Allah have gave us.

'Inner Smile' is one of the effective way to stop worrying about what other people might think about us.

heliocentrism said...

Dear Azah,

Inner smile. That's really cool. Thanks.

To hell what others think about us right, as long as we knoe we do no harm to God, to anyone or anything.