Why It's Okay Not to Care

What We Can Learn

Ever been told that you’re not good enough? That your work just isn’t quite right or that you’re not qualified enough for a job? We’ve all been there. It’s a part of life and we are all going to experience rejection in some form or another. If I’m honest, we need to experience it. We need to know what it feels like to be put down because it is the only way that we are going to get back up again. But, do you know what the most important thing we can learn from rejection is? Not to care. We don’t need to care about what people think, and do you know why? Because it’s our happiness that matters the most. Not someone's idea of it. Believing in ourselves is the greatest means for success. If we care about what we do and if it means something to us then everyone else’s opinion should be just that. An opinion.

Not caring doesn’t mean that we should disregard what someone has said or done. It’s about believing that we are better than what people say we are. Through life we should only be focusing on the positives and any negatives should be pushed as far away as possible. Of course, everyone is going to experience something negative or upsetting, but it’s how you choose to handle the situation that matters. If you let it impact you negatively then it will, but if you look at it from a different perspective; one that is far more positive, then you will learn so much more from the experience. You will be unstoppable. Try not caring about things you can't control or what people might say and see how much better you feel for it.

Accept opinions and criticism.

It’s okay to listen to other people’s advice. Criticism has its advantages and it can be helpful. We can learn a lot from the advice of those that have experienced and learnt more than us, but there is a difference between accepting what people have said and taking it to heart. If we take every bit of criticism to heart then we are never going to reach our full potential. We are never going to be thick-skinned enough to stand up for our own feelings. Just because someone tells you you’re not good enough or that you’re not doing things right doesn’t mean that it’s true. We only get one chance to live our lives the way we want to and if we let the opinions of our families, friends, or colleagues hold us back, then we will never truly be happy. It’s good to accept people’s advice and learn to live with it, but don’t ever feel pressured to do something or force yourself to change just because you want to make someone else proud. You should be doing it because you want to. Because it makes you happy. Because it is what you believe in.

When it comes down to it, the only person in charge of your life and your future is you. It’s okay not to care about failing a test, or not getting that job you applied for, or not being the best at something only if you use the failure as motivation to work harder towards what you want to achieve. You don’t have to be good at everything. You’re not meant to be. You only have to be good at what makes you happy.

Care about what matters.

It’s also okay to care. It’s okay to feel hurt by someone’s opinion on us or what we do. We are all human and sometimes we can’t help but let words or actions affect us. My advice? Care about what matters. Don’t care about immaterial things that cause unnecessary stress. Focus on the things that make you feel better, that inspire and motivate you. They will make you the best version of yourself. Care about achieving. Care about inspiring others as well as yourself. Care about proving people wrong. Care because it means something, but remember that it’s completely fine not to care. You don’t have to prove yourself to anyone apart from you.