Maybe Your Self-Perception Wasn’t Chosen By You

Whether we realize it or not, we often let others shape who we are and how we think of ourselves and our lives in general.

If you’ve been heavily influenced by other people’s opinions, then maybe your self-perception wasn’t chosen by you.

This includes both positive self-perceptions and negative self-perceptions.

Why would this be the case?

Well, how we grew up, the environment we’re currently in and the people we know all mold our personalities and outlooks on life.

However, that doesn’t mean that you should ignore your own wishes in life.

Other people’s perceptions of you and your life don’t have to be your reality.

You do get to choose what is your reality and how you look at things.

Ultimately, what other people think about who you are is not as important as what you think of yourself.

You have to be content with who you are, and to be absolutely content with yourself …you must carve out your own personality and live your own life, on your own terms.

It can be scary if all you’ve ever known is doing what other people have told you to do.

If all you know and believe about yourself and the world in general, is what other people think, then you won’t make the choices that are best for you.

You’ll never be truly happy until you pursue your own path.

It’s very easy to be influenced by others, especially when you’re young and still developing.

You might have had a mean teacher who told you that you would never amount to anything, and those words might stick with you today.

You might not even realize how deep those abusive words from a thoughtless person cut you.

Maybe one or both of your parents placed expectations that were either too high or too low for you.

They might have told you that you have to be a doctor or a lawyer, and nothing else will do, or they may have told you that you might as well get comfortable working a retail job because that’s all you’ll ever be good for.

Or they may have discouraged you and deflated your enthusiasm to pursue a specific thing that you would enjoy doing in life.

You have to find the strength and the courage to dismiss the expectations of other people and be who you want to be.

Just remember, you know yourself best.

You know what your passions and interests in life are, even if your family and friends don’t know or understand.

They are probably just nervous that you’ll screw up your life.

For example, if you want to launch your own online business, but they’re unfamiliar with the concept of making money online, then they may try to dissuade you from even trying it at all.

This is out of their own fears and has nothing to do with actual reality.

Over the years, countless people have built a profitable online business and often did it despite the misgivings of others.

You’ll just have to do it without their support and understanding.

Sometimes, it’s even best NOT to tell anyone what you are doing or what your plans are and just do it, especially when it comes to building an online business.

Most of society is conditioned to work a job or a career in a brick-and-mortar business.

Even if you end up making 6-7 figures as an internet marketer, you still may have trouble convincing people that what you’re doing is legitimate.

This is very common because they think you should be in the 9-5 rat race, just like everyone else.

If you’ve always dreamed of being an artist, but everyone pressured you to become something “better” with higher pay, you have to look past what they say.

Very few people have said that they’re glad they never pursued their dreams and just followed everyone else’s advice.

I’ve never heard of anyone saying this.

It might be difficult and it might not even work out, but you’ll never have to wonder what could have been if you had just tried.

You can find satisfaction in knowing that you pursued what you wanted to do and tried your best.

You also have to be able to define what kind of person you are.

Nobody is born inherently worth more or less than anyone else.

If a few people think that you’re just a piece of trash, you have to look at who they are as a person, devaluing other people to make themselves feel better.

Stop and consider the source.

If someone tells you that you’re worthless, ignore them.

They may not know your story and they don’t know who you are in your mind and heart, and they really shouldn’t make assumptions.

Evaluate your own worth.

Think about the people that actually do love and support you, think about the good that you do, and how you make a positive contribution to the world.

If you feel like it’s lacking, then make the changes that will make you feel better about yourself.

You get to determine how you perceive yourself and your life.

Nobody can live your life for you.

So, why let their opinions determine your self-perceptions?

Free yourself from the expectations and perceptions of other people and you will feel even better about yourself and your path in life.