This post is based on the following image, which really struck a chord with me this week.

Regardless of what we do, especially if it’s a decision we take that is in the public eye to some degree, people will always have an opinion. Some people appreciate that we can often have an opinion whilst keeping it to ourselves, though there are many out there who feel the need to voice those opinions at all times, no matter how important or trivial the subject matter. Quite often, the only opinions that are voiced are those that differ to our own. Some of us are ridiculously thick-skinned and are able to simply brush this off as a complete irrelevance, whilst some (many?) of us can take this to heart far too easily. I’m somewhere in the middle, possibly a little closer to the ‘take it to heart’ side of the sliding scale a little bit more than I care to admit to.

One of the key issues these days is there are far too many forums to enable this. Social media is obviously key though most of us are almost instantly available via text messaging, e-mail, WhatsApp groups etc. Unless we completely switch off from the outside world, there is simply no escaping having the views of others forced down our throats. As a result of all these forums, there are also far too many keyboard warriors / bullies these days; people with what I like to call ‘Piers Morgan Syndrome’. The type of people who think it’s fair game to comment on anything and everything, even if the subject matter is nothing to do with them, and quite often in a forceful or confrontational manner. Quite why this is seen as acceptable is completely beyond me, though it’s a sad indictment of the society we live in these days.

I may be asked just what the hell this has got to do with the core subject matter of the Yes, You Can Do It blog. The reason is this can have a huge effect on our mental health. If anyone suffers with a lack of self-confidence, anxiety, or low self-esteem, it doesn’t take much to create additional issues; to create problems where there aren’t necessarily any; to make a person with a fragile ego analyse any given situation more than it is healthy to do so and therefore further crush any self-confidence which may remain. It doesn’t take much to come out with a cutting comment that may seem innocuous to the originator but may linger in the mind of the recipient for hours / days / weeks / months to come.

My advice in such instances? Ignore most of it. Perhaps easier said than done but it is vitally important. Try to ignore the opinions of others, continue ploughing your own furrow, and live life how you wish to. Note that I don’t say ‘ignore all of it’ here. The reason being that this is difficult to do, especially if those opinions come from those close to us or from those we respect. However, in such instances, those opinions are often valid, constructive, and useful. I’m referring here to the opinions of those who aren’t particularly important to us and whose views offer pretty much nothing. Background noise, if you like. Detail we shouldn’t get hung up on. You could carry that donkey on your shoulders with a couple of vulnerable people sitting on it’s back and some people would still hit the keyboard and toss pelters your way. Try to ignore it and carry on living on your own terms, maintaining your values and beliefs as you try your damnedest getting through each day as best you can. Life really is too short to be influenced by the (often worthless) opinions of others.

As always, thanks for reading and take care.

Best wishes.

Mick