It’s not any of your business what most people think of you

When another person judges or criticizes us, we should seek to understand their motives, values, and experience. We pay attention to those who love us, want the best for us, and share our goals and values. However, everyone is human. Their judgments reflect their life history, maturity, and how they feel about themselves in this moment; they act based on their own values, challenges, motives and desires. We have no control over any of these or what they say or think about us. If someone calls us a lemon, that does not make us a lemon.

We can only try to control what we think, do, and say. We must manage our own behavior and attitude; we will make mistakes and should not let these overburden us; we must avoid self-righteousness—we do not discount all criticism but avoid being overly sensitive to the misguided disapproval of others. We can grow from any experience or we can ignore that experience and keep repeating the same mistakes. Either way, our business concerns only our actions and reactions, our feelings, and our attitudes. We cannot control other people.

Prayer: Wonderful guiding spirit, help me spend this day with you—aware of your presence; feeling your love, compassion and acceptance of me. Guide my thoughts, words and actions that all may be worthy of your approval; if, in my humanness, my actions are less that your ideal, bathe me in your love and your lead me to righteousness.

Take three relaxing breaths; ask your inner spirit to guide your meditation; reflect on the content, pausing for a few minutes in silence.