What Happens When You Stop Caring What People Think

You’ll be happy and free to express your authentic self

What if you showed the world your unapologetic, unabashed, authentic self? Are you willing to drop the façade based on outside opinions?

We often do things to please othe people. We do or say things that aren’t in alignment with our true nature. We’re afraid of rejection, so we don’t speak our truth. We might bend or mold ourselves into someone we’re not when we want a particular job or relationship.

It’s common to live out of alignment with our authentic selves. Our society encourages us to push or ignore individual boundaries. Work, lifestyle, and beauty are a few areas in which the media shows us false representations of ourselves.

Sometimes it’s like skiing uphill to challenge the messages they’re feeding us. But it’s possible to move past it. We need to be aware of what resonates and what doesn’t, then make different choices. Then we can get bold and brave and do what feels right.

Even with self-awareness and bold action, some of us can face challenges in certain places. I’ve struggled with accepting the skin I’m in.

I do it to cover my hormonal face rash. I’ve had the condition for almost nine years, and I’ve worn makeup for about 35 years. This part of my routine is the last vestige of anything incongruent with my true self. I’m physically more comfortable with nothing on my skin. So why do it? I don’t want others to see my rash. Why not? Because I fear rejection.

I wonder if I’ll be bold enough to show people the pink splotches on my cheeks. I’m 48 years old, and my hormones are out of balance. I’m confident in other areas. But I keep covering up my face. If I didn’t feel incongruent, I’d feel fine continuing to use the cover-up. But I’m a middle-aged hippie who walks barefoot in the desert and eats organic. It doesn’t feel like “me.”

I’ve made a lot of progress. I probably have body dysmorphia from my skin-picking days. I’d always see…

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