When I look at my dog, I wonder if she cares about what I think of her. I happen to sometimes think she is a little spoilt, manipulative, overly skittish. I also wish she knows that I care for her, that it bothers me she is often scared of me for no good reason. Humans as social animals happen to operate a level of functioning so sophisticated and high that it often borders on leading to malfunction.
We seem to care so much about other people’s thoughts (of ourselves) that our minds are constantly seemingly wondering about that. And as social creatures, we want that approval, even subconsciously. And we will gravitate towards fulfilling their expectations. We might even allow our emotions to rise and fall on the opinions of others.
The best weight you’ll ever lose is the weight of other people’s opinions
Unknown
That sounds like a normal way to live. How can you ever even expect to be freed of the influence of others? After all, you’ll always be a function of the society, culture, upbringing and environment that you exist in. The main challenge perhaps, is when we end up becoming anxious about the life we are living in a bid to satisfy everyone’s expectation. Remember, living for everyone, is living for no one.