How I Stopped Caring About What Others Think

I used to be a people pleaser. I always wanted to fit in, to be liked, to avoid conflict. I thought that was the way to be happy and successful. But I was wrong.

The more I tried to please others, the more I lost myself. I felt like I had no identity, no purpose, no passion. I was living a life that was not mine, but what others expected of me.

I was miserable.

Then, something changed. I decided to restructure my life, sell most of my personal belongings, and move to Cambodia (with the caveat of still owning my property in Las Vegas to occasionally go back to handle logistical matters on the home-front). I wanted to experience a different culture, a different way of life. I wanted to find myself, to discover my true calling, to pursue my dreams.

I wanted to be free.

It was not easy. I faced many challenges, such as finding a place to stay, learning the language, adapting to the climate, dealing with health issues, and so on. I also faced criticism from my family, friends, and strangers. They thought I was crazy, irresponsible, selfish. They tried to discourage me, to make me doubt myself, to make me come back.

But I didn't listen.

I realized that some of them were just jealous. They were unhappy with their own lives, but they were too afraid or too comfortable to change them. They wanted me to be like them, to conform, to settle. They didn't understand my choices, my values, my vision.

But I didn't care.

I met my wife, who was the best thing that ever happened to me. She was Cambodian, and she understood me like no one else. She was adventurous, independent, confident. She didn't care what others thought of her. She followed her dreams and lived by her own rules.

She inspired me to do the same.

We decided to live off-grid, away from the negativity and the power grid. We wanted to be closer to nature, to each other, to ourselves. We wanted to create our own happiness, our own success, our own meaning.

We wanted to be free.

And we are.

Living off-grid has taught us many things. We learned how to be self-reliant, how to use renewable energy sources, how to grow our own food, how to conserve water and resources. We learned how to appreciate the simple things in life, how to enjoy the present moment, how to be grateful for what we have. We learned how to respect the environment, how to coexist with other living beings, how to protect our planet.

We learned how to live.

Living off-grid has also given us many opportunities. We met many amazing people who share our values and vision. We joined a community of like-minded individuals who support each other and work together for a common goal. We made many friends who became our family. We explored many beautiful places that took our breath away. We experienced many wonderful things that enriched our souls.

We experienced how to love.

Living off-grid has not been easy, but it has been worth it. We have faced many difficulties, but we have also overcome them. We have made many sacrifices, but we have also gained more than we ever imagined. We have left behind many things, but we have also found ourselves.

We have found how to be happy.

And we don't care what others think.

We don't care because we know that we are doing what we love and what makes us feel alive. We don't care because we know that we are following our passion and our purpose. We don't care because we know that we are living our truth and our freedom.

We don't care because we are living our dream.

And you can too.

You can stop caring about what others think and follow your passion too. You can break free from the expectations and limitations that others impose on you. You can choose your own path and create your own destiny.

You can be free too.

All you need is courage, determination, and faith.

Courage to take the first step and make the change you want in your life. Determination to keep going and overcome the obstacles you will face along the way. Faith in yourself and your vision.

You have what it takes.

You are unique, not because you are special, but because you put the effort into what you are doing. You are capable of achieving anything you set your mind to. You are worthy of living a life that fulfills you and makes you happy.

You just need to believe it.

And then act on it.

Don't let anyone or anything stop you from following your passion. Don't let anyone or anything ruin your thought process and your way of doing things.

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Original story (created by me) published on Medium.com. Any changes and/or updates that have been added on Vocal.media are for content consumption purposes.

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