Stop worrying about what everyone else has to say and just be yourself.
By Amy Johnson — Written on Aug 29, 2012
No matter how hard we try to spin it, it's pretty obvious that our mood sometimes depends a lot on how our friends treat us — from what they say to how comfortable we are around them. And why wouldn't it? We trust them to keep our darkest secrets safe so it makes sense that their words have such an impact on us. It's not a crime to crave praise from the people we trust the most. It's hard to remember how to be happy when our happiness depends on other people.
But that's the problem. When we hang on to everyone else's opinion on our lives, whether it's praise or criticism, it makes the load we carry so much heavier. Suddenly, our happiness starts to depend on every little thing they say and our self-esteem drops to an all-time low. That's why YourTango Expert Dr. Amy Johnson makes it a point to stress not letting anyone else's opinion affect how you feel about yourself. You don't need their approval; you're pretty awesome all on your own and don't need a compliment from someone else to prove it. You just have to brush your shoulders off and own it! If you're happy with who you wake up to in the morning (yourself), that's all that really matters. Everyone else can take a seat.