Two Ways to Stop Caring What Others Think

Of course it still matters, in a big way, what your immediate family members, close friends, and employers think of your character. A falling out with this small handful of people could mean losing your livelihood, or your home (although it’s probably much easier for us to find another livelihood or home than it would have been for a similarly-shunned hunter-gatherer).

However, if a second cousin dislikes you, or a passer-by thinks you dress like a fool, it won’t affect your life much, aside from your own ruminations about it. In fact, it’s hard to imagine how the negative opinion of anyone in your life, even those closest to you, would really threaten your survival in the way it would for your ancestors.

Food for thought if you worry a lot about what others think of you.