By Gabrielle Thompson
No matter who you are or where you’re from, there will always be somebody who does not agree with your personal choices. Pleasing every person you meet on a given day is an impossible task, and the attempt would only cause immense exhaustion and frustration. This leads to the big question: Why do we care about what people think?
According to Psychology Today, the need to be included in a group was prominent for our ancestors in order to survive against predators such as saber-toothed tigers and wooly mammoths. However, the need for acceptance by others is still something that influences our daily actions and thoughts. We dress and act like everyone else around us so we can have a closer relationship with them.
Sure, it feels good to be liked by other people. It feels comfortable to blend in with the crowd. But people who don’t blend in aren’t trying to spite people. No, they’re just doing what they want, what makes them happy. They will get weird looks and people will talk about them behind their back, but, in reality, the people who try to blend in will get the same treatment. Social media is an easy way to examine this paradox. People who are considered overweight often receive rude comments from strangers, but the same can be said for people who are naturally very thin.
People will always find a reason to think negatively of you. Even I, the person who is writing an article about being whoever you want to be, have judged people for their choices. Everybody does it and everybody gets judged. It doesn’t matter what you wear, what your opinions are, how you talk, who you are friends with or what city you are from. Somebody, somewhere is looking at your life and deciding a certain aspect of it is wrong.
It’s time to stop being afraid about what people might think of you and time to start living how you want. Dye your hair bright pink. State your opinions proudly. Wear your fancy dress with Converse — I do this frequently. Eat that second bowl of ice cream. Shout the words to your favorite song so everybody can hear. What’s the worst that could happen? You might get an odd look from a stranger, but you’re having fun. Life isn’t worth living if you are not doing what you love. As Bobby McFerrin said, “Don’t worry, be happy.”
