Release Yourself from What Others Think

“There’s no freedom in being bound to what other people are saying about you.” Every week, Oprah is setting an intention exclusively for Oprah Daily Insiders, with reflections on topics like letting go, forgiveness, coming into your own, and more. Well, good Sunday to you all! I am speaking this week about my former chronic people-pleasing ways because the word yes used to drop off my tongue whether I wanted it to or not, and I was well into my 40s before I became strong enough to start saying no on a regular basis, when I wanted to. I was always so worried about what other people would think of me. I wanted so much for people to like me and feel like they could rely on me. I know all of that came from what happened to me as a kid. And even though I knew that, it was still difficult to say no.Well, there is a piece right now on our site called “Is FOPO the New FOMO?” In it, a high-performing psychologist named Michael Gervais writes that if we don’t overcome our fear of other people’s opinions—he calls it “FOPO”—then we will have spent our brief time on this incredible planet playing a role, inhabiting an identity, conforming to the perceived expectations of other people.

So I say amen to that. Something I realized quite some time ago is that when you actually put other people’s opinions above your own all the time, more than your own, it’s like you’re being owned by them. It might as well be their life you’re living because you cannot be free until you learn to let go of what other people are thinking. There’s no freedom in being bound to what other people were saying about you. Trust me. Trust. So I wanna ask you, if you weren’t worried about what other people were thinking of you, what would that look like? Can you take some time to envision an alternate way of being? Look at that link I sent you, and let me know what you think of that. I appreciate your thoughts as always ’cause you know I’m gonna be reading ’em. Have a good week. Go well—and stay away from FOPO.

Source: Oprah Daily Insiders