A Day to Be Free

I'm writing this essay as inspired by someone I encountered who needed to hear this very message.  

This is one of my favorite topics to talk about... in part because of how frequently it's experienced, and also how strong the deception of the illusion can be.  This essay is about the notion of someone having an opinion about you.

There are so many people who feel trapped by the criticism of others.  It's quite a commonality that many people feel judged by others, which in turn, causes us to criticize ourselves.  But here's the secret, and it's really quite simple:  Opinions about you are not a reflection of you.  They are a reflection of those who said it.

Here's what I mean, and again, it's surprisingly simple.   Everyone is entitled to their own opinions.   Some people will agree with you and others may not.   This is entirely normal and expected.  For this reason, when someone has a comment about you, specifically if it is negative, that information has nothing to do with who you are.   That opinion is a reflection of them.  Their opinion is theirs to express and therefore is representative of who they are... not of who you are.  If someone doesn't like your hair or your clothing or any other element of your character, it is no different than someone not liking spicy foods.   It's simply a reflection of who that individual is.  So don't ever allow that to belittle you.  Let it go.

In the end, you are free.  You have always been free from the opinions and concerns of others.  Too frequently, we allow a desire to be wholly liked to cause us to censor ourselves rather than embrace the differences.  So please take this moment, this day, this year to really enjoy the essence of You.

There is another essay that might add a slightly different spin on this topic:
A Day for Confidence