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Have you ever had someone tell you to just stop caring what other people think? 🙋‍♀️  Maybe they told you to go for your dreams and ignore other people’s opinions, comments, or advice.

I know I’ve been given this advice before.

And while there is some truth to it (which we’ll get to in a bit), I think this advice can make people think that NO opinions matter, and I don’t think that’s a healthy perspective to have.

I would challenge that generic piece of advice that’s often thrown out there and I would make an edit. Instead of not caring about what ANYONE thinks, I would care about what the RIGHT people think.

Look, it’s a fact of life that everyone and their mother has an opinion or a judgment on your choices, whether spoken out loud or not, and it can be easy to get stuck worrying about that.

So in this episode of the SHE podcast, I’m diving into some ways we can navigate other people’s opinions in a healthy way and stop worrying about what everyone else thinks about your goal or dream.

Sound good?

CARE ABOUT WHAT THE RIGHT PEOPLE THINK

Navigating other people’s opinions doesn’t mean that you should shut out the advice, feedback, and opinions of EVERYONE in your life.

It’s about identifying the people whose opinions you should listen to, and whose you don’t need to worry about.

Because there ARE some people whose opinions matter – the people in your inner circle, who you trust and admire. They’re the people who know you and your journey, who have walked beside you through difficult times, and who genuinely care about you.

Maybe that includes your mentor, your spouse, your parents, if you’re close, or a really close friend who you’ve asked to speak into your life for accountability.

When these people challenge us to consider something from a different angle, we shouldn’t just brush them off and say “they just don’t get it.” If we do that, we’ll end up ignoring the wise voices in our life that could really help us.

Now, does that mean that we should always take their advice? No. But we should be able to have a healthy conversation with them, and take their concerns into account when making our decision. 

YOU DON’T OWE AN EXPLANATION TO EVERYONE

For those people who aren’t in your inner circle (i.e., the old college friend you don’t talk to, the random neighbors, the stranger on the internet, the old family friend you’re reconnecting with, etc.), their opinion doesn’t hold the same kind of weight.

These people may not have a close connection to you. They don’t know your journey or your motivation. They haven’t walked beside you through the difficult times. And they might not have your interests at heart.

So for these people, you don’t need to explain yourself just to be liked or to get approval on whatever you’re doing. They don’t live your life, and they don’t have to live with your decision. 

So take their opinions with a grain of salt. Take the truth from it (if any), sift through it, and receive it through the right lens.

Learn to stand confidently in your decisions without offering an explanation to EVERYONE who has an opinion.

It does matter to hear other people’s opinions and feedback and advice if they’re trusted and in your inner circle, but outside of that, dare to stand confidently in your decisions without offering an explanation to everyone who has an opinion.

As Dr. Caroline Leaf says: “Other people’s thoughts, actions and opinions are more about themselves than about you and say more about the other person than it says about you. You can’t control what narrative people choose to believe about you, but you can control what you choose to believe.” 

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW TO NAVIGATE OTHER PEOPLE’S OPINIONS

Here’s the bottom line: the advice to not care about what anyone thinks is a little overdone and falls flat on its own because some people’s opinions DO matter and it’s wise to have an inner circle of trusted voices who know you, your story, and your heart. 

Too often we focus on what the wrong people think. So here’s your reminder to stop worrying about what everyone thinks and instead focus on leaning into what the right people think.

And P.S. the “right people” includes you. It’s critical to prioritize having peace with your life and your decisions.

So, if you’re ready to start caring about what the right people think, then grab your headphones and tune into this episode to learn:

• • Why the advice to “not worry about what others think” isn’t always helpful
  • How to determine whose advice you should listen to
  • Ways to navigate other people’s opinions in a healthy way
  • How to have healthy conversations when your opinions differ

And let us know in the comments: what’s your biggest takeaway from this episode?