Should i care what others think?

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GRod

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I posted a Catholic prayer and pic on social media and one of my protestant friends stopped following me. I feel bad. Should i care what people think about me? Not just this. But like what if i want to start a business and people get jealous and start saying things about me. Or if im trying to get in shape and people start saying im getting too skinny. Hope this question makes sence. I feel like when i start doing good people get offended and i now purposely try to downplay myself. Like ill say i only make x amount of dollars a year when really i make way more. I feel i have to lie about myself so people dont think im showing off and i dont want them to feel bad. I feel like just not caring and doing what i have to do and if i offend people along the way oh well. I just dont want to lose friends or business connections. What do you think?
 
How much somebody earns, whether it’s a salary, fees, or profits from a business, is surely a private matter. Why would anyone ask you that in casual conversation? If they asked me, I’d give an evasive answer, maybe something like, “Not enough.”
 
You should not care in most cases. Jesus certainly was not stopped by all the criticism around him.
 
You should only care if their opinions are true, and constructive. Otherwise, no.
 
If…somebody is posting too much and it happens that it is almost all one gets in notifications, I wouldn t blame that person.
For some reason people one may really appreciate and even pick up the phone to have a chat with or go out for a cup of coffee , have some issues posting way too much . Friendship goes way beyond reading posts.
I don’t know if this is your case, but if it is , it doesn’t necessarily mean something personal but an unnecessary over abundance of irrelevant posting which hinders from having access to other ones quick
Of course one may silence them but at times, it seems like the only remedy…
or at least temporarily is to unfollow.
Maybe just reconsider what you are posting
I don’t like Facebook nor similar much but it is very useful and pleasant to keep up with distant friends or school time ones we cannot often meet and their growing families and grandchildren!
 
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I think it’s much better to be evasive on personal questions than to lie. Are you voluntarily giving out personal information or are you being asked these question? If your voluntarily telling people these things, it can sound like bragging even if you didn’t mean it that way. If being asked something, I’d probably ask back, “Why do you want to know” ?

To someone noticing my weight loss and saying I look too skinny, I’d reply with “Thanks…I’ll ask my doctor!”
 
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Actually, I think if you’re thinking this much and in this way about how people are reacting to you, that maybe a therapist or very helpful and sensible friend could help you get some balance, because otherwise you will be miserable.

For one thing, you seem to think very negatively about people (or maybe you need a better class of friends 😉 ) This is unrealistic and will put up barriers between you and others.

Second, you seem to think others are thinking this way and that there is some way their statements or thoughts have some validity.

If other people are rude to us, it is ok for us to disregard what they are saying if it is not true, and it is ok to set boundaries with them. It is ok to tell a friend, Hey, I worked really hard to loose weight. I feel hurt that you are only saying now I am too skinny (or whatever).
 
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Whenever you experience any sort of success, you leave certain people behind in the dust. Your success reminds them of their failures.

Have you heard this expression: “What other people think of you is none of your business”?

It’s more important to decide what you think of other people.
 
Thank you everyone for your advice. No i dont post alot on social media. I posted two catholic things in a one week period. Ive posted like 6 things all year. I dont go around telling people what im doing but sometimes they just notice that im trying to do things. Maybe im overthinking. Maybe they dont really care. But like i know if i could afford a bmw id probably just get a buick so that people dont think i have money. People treat you different when they think you have money. Ive been there before. Ive noticed the difference when im doing well financially and when im not. I dont want fake friends. I want them to like me for who i am. I guess thats my thing. I want people to like me so i dont things sometimes so that they dont stop liking me. And sometimes that means getting a buick instead of a bmw. I dont want to look like a superficial vain person. make sence?. Maybe i should only care what God thinks of me. But also i hate it when people dont like me. Seems impossible to please everyone. I guess thats my question. Its hard to explain. Hope you understand.
 
I ‘m sorry that I thought it might be about over posting. I didn’t mean mean to be hurtful, GRod.
About being able to please everyone, I agree : Mission Impossible.
And probably a waste of energy.
An inner journey and coming to terms with God and oneself as we move forward to begin with sounds more reasonable.
What do you think?
 
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GRod said:
I posted a Catholic prayer and pic on social media and one of my protestant friends stopped following me. I feel bad.
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If you’re going to use social media, you need to accept that not everybody is going to like you or your posts. People will unfriend for all kinds of reasons, whether it’s religion, politics, or not wanting to look at pictures of your girlfriend, children, or vacation. Just accept that sometimes friendships (online or in person) come to an end and live your life how you want to live it. Two Catholic posts in a week isn’t going to bother someone who is a true friend.
GRod said:
Should i care what people think about me? Not just this. But like what if i want to start a business and people get jealous and start saying things about me…
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While we all want to put our best self forward especially to our potential customers and business associates, it looks like you are taking this a bit too far and have an obsession/ anxiety about others’ opinions that is out of proportion for an adult. Most of us go through a phase as tweens and teens where we worry a lot about the opinions of our peers, and feel insecure about ourselves, but by the time we hit our early 20s we are growing out of that. However, some people stay stuck in worrying about their public image throughout adulthood, and will even lie or hide real issues in order to look good to others. It’s a bad and exhausting way to live. I would suggest that you consider getting counseling in order to reduce your anxiety about this.
 
You should not care if you are right. Jesus did not care what others thought and we know He was and is right. Friends who no longer follow you (what is that anyway?) are not a problem for you - it is a problem for them.
 
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