It's safe to say, from the time we wake up until our heads hit our pillows that our day is spent making choices. Whether it's something as insignificant as a banana or an apple for breakfast, or as crucial as studying for that big exam or watching Netflix in bed. With these day to day choices comes pressure from many crowds to influence which decision we make. Negative opinions and voices can sometimes cripple us into not being who we really are though. But let me tell you, if you think the pressure and opinions of others is one day going to magically stop, spoiler alert, it's not :). Now I know that may sound horrible, but I'm here to reassure you on why their pressure and opinions aren't as important as they are made out to be!

1. For starters, at the end of the day your own happiness truly is important. Now don't get this piece of advice confused with having no sensitivity for the impact your decision may have on others! However, if you're stressing TOO much over something simple like what to wear in the morning because you're afraid of what people will think and say, remember that if they don't like what you're wearing, it honestly won't kill them. In the moment it may seem like a big deal when you're walking down the hallway at work past your co-workers but guess what, if it's your style and your comfortable, then I say it's a great outfit! The mentality of doing what you like and being who you are is applicable in many areas of your life, not just fashion choices. So the next time you feel yourself panicking over making a decision, ask yourself two things. One: Am I putting my own happiness on the line for others opinions? And two: Is this decision I’m faced with so significant that I need to focus on it so much to the point of worry?

2. Despite popular belief, what other people think of you actually isn't any of your business. I know, I know... Just the thought of your name being in someone else's mouth eats away at you. Nevertheless.learning to stop over valuing people's negative opinions will help you go far. For one, you won't be constantly worried about doing or saying the wrong thing in front of them because their negativity won't be important to you anyways! And two, maybe once you've stopped valuing their opinion so much, you can focus on valuing God's opinion of you. You wanna know why valuing God's opinion of you is most important? Because you'll never catch him talking smack about you to Jesus in the breakroom or locker room ;). It’s important to be sensitive to the voice of God. You might just overhear him saying how fearfully and wonderfully made you are.

Before I bid you all adieu, let me clarify that I don’t believe you should shut out ALL opinions from others. That’s why it’s important to discern which opinions are beneficial to your life, and which ones are there just to bring you down. If what people are saying about you doesn’t align with what God has to say about you, I think it’s time you stop listening to them. You can learn a lot by listening to what others have to say. Just remember that there’s a difference between valuing someone’s opinion and idolizing their opinion.