People will judge you no matter what

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), the longest-serving First Lady in U.S. history, astutely advised people to do as follows:

"Do what you feel in your heart to be right -- for you'll be criticized anyway."

Essentially, she's saying that no matter what course of action you take, someone will take issue with it. So why not follow your heart and do what makes you happy?

Roosevelt would be disheartened to learn that in 2018, over 5 decades after her death, people still get sucked into the "herd mentality" that drives them to seek others' validation. They believe and perpetuate the notion that true happiness lies with others rather than with and inside themselves.

She'd quickly realize that social media has a lot to do with it, seeing as how people will post just about anything to amass as many likes and followers as they can.

Whether you like football, abstain from drinking, are in a long-distance relationship, have only one child, enjoy traveling to Europe, or work in finance, someone -- somewhere -- is bound to challenge the choices you've made in your life.

It's plain to see why people have a habit of doing this. If your decisions and preferences don't mirror theirs, it may make them feel insecure about the paths they've taken in their lives. This is especially true when your choice may not have been a common one.

So how do they reduce such feelings of cognitive dissonance, you ask? Easy -- they pass judgment on your actions and regard theirs as superior. Chances are, they realize they didn't go with their gut, acting on their friend or coworker's advice rather than doing what felt right -- what they wanted to do deep down.

Rather than owning up to the fact that they hold others' opinions in higher regard than their own, they take the easy out and cast your decisions in a negative light.

People who succumb to social pressure want others to do the same thing, but never should you grant them that satisfaction.

In a world that wants everyone to be alike, you should strive to stand apart. You should embrace wholeheartedly all that makes you unique -- not apologize for it.

If people are dissatisfied with the way you are, so be it. It's better to be disliked for your genuine self than it is to be loved for a fake version of yourself that you trot out just to secure people's validation.

The only one who has a right to judge you is you, because no one else has stepped in your very shoes.

Do what makes you happy and never let the pressure to fit in prompt you to compromise your values and integrity.

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