365 STEPS TO SELF-CONFIDENCE
Use this affirmation whenever you feel pressured, angered or irritated
by another person:
‘I do not allow anyone else’s words or behaviour to spoil my day.’283It is essential to realise that you won’t get on with everyone. To think
otherwise is unrealistic, encourages approval-seeking behaviour, and
inevitably damages your self-esteem.
There are some people with whom you enjoy a mutual liking and
who become firm friends. You will also meet people with whom you
have little in common, but can maintain polite and friendly
relationships. But it is also inevitable that you will meet people with
whom you will never see eye to eye, who dislike you and you them. You
may as well accept that they don’t like you and just try to remain calm
and courteous in their presence.284Expect your share of disapproval. Even your best friends don’t approve
of you all of the time! Accept that you won’t win over everyone you
meet. And stop worrying: life is not a popularity contest!285If you find yourself conforming for the sake of it, which implies that
you are allowing others to make your decisions for you, ask yourself,
‘Why am I doing this? Do I really want to? Or is it just because
someone else expects it?’
Listen to your inner self and follow your intuition. Then if you
decide to comply it is your choice.286Don’t rebel for the sake of it either: you’re still judging yourself by
others’ criteria and not necessarily being true to yourself. You must
decide what you believe in and how you conduct yourself.287