Who cares what anyone else thinks?

Twice last week as I was sifting through some Instagram stories, aka mindless scrolling, the phrase, “Who cares what anyone else thinks?” cropped up.

In both instances, this phrase was used as a rallying cry to “ignore the haters” and unquestioningly toss aside any criticism or negative feedback that might come your way.

Get that dirt off your shoulders, amiright?

Isn’t it interesting how “Who cares what anyone else thinks?” is usually reserved for critics and doesn’t seem to apply to our supporters?

It seems we’ll welcome the positive vibes all day long with open arms and never stop to think if it’s helpful, true, or sincere.

But, I digress...

Perhaps more important to point out is just how much of a conversational crutch this saying (and others like it) becomes when things start to get uncomfortable.

Because there’s nuance to this, isn’t there?

Perhaps, the more thoughtful approach might be to listen to any and all feedback — positive or negative — and then consider whether it is worth exploring further.

If there’s truth in it — despite the uncomfortable packaging — then there might be a path toward improvement, conflict resolution, or positive change.

If the feedback doesn’t resonate, set it on the shelf after thoughtfully processing it.

And please understand that considering negative feedback doesn’t mean the same thing as accepting it or internalizing it. That’s not healthy.

I fear this blanket mantra of “Who cares what anyone else thinks?” gives us permission to say and do things without considering the ramifications in too many instances, and serves as a helpful crutch to avoid uncomfortable conversations and feedback.

But what do you think? I’d love your feedback.

See what I did there?

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