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Slap #009: Other People’s Opinions Are None of Your Business.

2 min readMay 11, 2025

You are not a democracy.

Perform, as if no one is watching! Photo by José Luis Reveles

Think about the multiple times you have held yourself back,

• From saying what you intend to
• From doing what you want to
• From being who you truly are

Don’t think you are protecting yourself. You are not. You are auditioning for an approval you never needed in the first place.

The fear isn’t of failure.
It is of being seen failing.

But here’s the truth bomb:

They’re not thinking about you.
They’re thinking about themselves-just like you are.

You are not their thought. You are your action. It is as simple as that.

Caring what people think is a form of self-sabotage.

Every ounce of energy spent managing your image is energy not spent building your identity.

You don’t owe likability.
You don’t owe relatability.
You only owe authenticity.

You were not born to be understood. You were born to become.

So today?

Say the thing.
Do the thing.
Be the version of you that doesn’t flinch when someone frowns or comments.

Because freedom doesn’t come from being liked.
It comes from not needing to be.

Hope this one struck (pun always intended) a chord as well. Sing.
Until tomorrow.

Ask yourself and reflect — What would your life look like if you stopped editing yourself for other people’s comfort? What have been the amazing opportunities that you casually discarded behind ‘What will people say’?

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Bharath Kumar Balasubramanian
Bharath Kumar Balasubramanian

Written by Bharath Kumar Balasubramanian

I transform organisations. I collect life experiences. I share practical wisdom. Happy to Help — Just reach out!

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