If everybody likes you, you have a problem...

If one thing is for sure, it's that not everyone is going to like us.

Some people will find us annoying. Others will deem us rude. Still others will think we're conceited, messy, obnoxious, dumb, stingy, or lazy.

And it doesn't really matter whether any of these labels have merit or are entirely baseless. All that matters is how we're perceived. Perception is, in fact, reality in the eyes of those who may not know us all that well.

If not a single person has a beef with you -- if you feel everyone you know holds you in high esteem -- it boils down to one of two things:

(1) They're lying.

(2) You're in denial, or in the dark.

Someone in our circle -- whomever it may be -- takes issue with something about us, whether it be our religious or political beliefs, our weight, our choice of partner or career, our hobbies, our favorite foods, and so forth.

Granted, someone can like you and, say, still clash with you when it comes to politics. But to say that not a single person would ever change anything about you is just not true.

Unfortunately, even the people we presume to be our closest friends or most trustworthy coworkers can harbor envy about the nice place we have or recent promotion we got at work -- but keep mum about it or, even worse, talk smack with others behind your back.

But look on the bright side: If people are jealous of you, there's something you must be doing right, and deep down they likely wish to be more like you.

Many people we come across daily are opportunists. They pretend to like us because they know we'll be more inclined to do favors for them when they need us. But below the surface, if they find no need for us, they couldn't care less whether they never saw us again.

If anyone pushes you to change -- and you feel tempted to do so just to get in their good graces -- hold your ground. You shouldn't have to change anything about yourself unless it's something you genuinely want. If they can't accept the real you, they can walk.

It's better to be hated for who you are than loved for who you're not. We don't need everyone to like us. We don't need anyone's validation. As long as we're happy with ourselves, that's all that counts.

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