Embracing Your Unique Self: Overcoming the Fear of Being Judged

I am today called by my friends and family as a unique, being – they may even call me contrarian, badass, multiple interests – many adjectives, but it was not always this way.

I remember my younger self, decades ago, when I was constantly worried about what others thought of me – What they thought of thick glasses, curly hair, or my not being an athlete or not being a class topper. When none spoke about my clothing* or my intelligence** or looks*. I was so scared of being judged that I often felt I had to be someone I wasn’t. It was a challenging time. Somewhere along the line, around the age of 16, I realized that I needed to embrace my unique self and start being proud of myself. Over the years, I have seen my exact story of younger self being experienced by hundreds of friends, family, and colleagues.

* [over time I have stopped giving a damn about my clothing. For last 10 years people see me only with a black t-shirt and jeans. Nothing else. They will see me unshaven and stubble all the time. **only much later in 2009, id I end up taking my Mensa test and recorded an IQ of 156, nearer to Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein who’s IQ was around 160.

It’s common for us to fear being judged by others at some point in their lives. This fear can limit our potential and make it difficult to live life to the fullest. However, the good news is that this fear can be overcome. By facing your fears and taking control of your thoughts, you can live the life you want without being held back by the fear of judgment. So here are some points that I have put together.

By focusing on your own thoughts and actions, letting go of the desire for external approval, and embracing confidence, you can live a fuller life without the fear of judgment holding you back.

Rajesh Soundararajan

1. The Fear of Being Judged is Extremely Common: It’s normal to have a fear of being judged, but it’s not something you have to live with forever. You can overcome this fear and feel more confident in yourself.
2. Be True and Authentic to Yourself: You can’t control what others think, but you can control your own thoughts and actions. This is the key to overcoming the fear of being judged. By focusing on your own actions and thoughts, you can let go of the fear of judgment.
3. It’s OK to Stand Out: (I would say it is fun and awesome to stand out) It’s important to embrace your individuality and be true to yourself. You don’t have to change who you are to avoid judgment. Instead, learn to be confident in your own skin and not worry about what others think.
4. Stop Seeking Approval: We often seek approval from others, but it’s important to stop this vicious cycle. Approval from external sources like social media likes or positive feedback from colleagues is unnecessary for our happiness. One may call it encouragement – if it happens so be it, use it at best as a validation that you are not on wrong path. Even if there is none keep walking. Our own personal happiness comes from within ourselves.
5. We Mentally Exaggerate Other People’s Reactions: We tend to exaggerate other people’s reactions and assume they are judging us harshly. However, the reality is that most people are too busy worrying about themselves to judge others. They have no time for you. Period.
6. Confidence is Key: Once you’ve learned to let go of the fear of judgment, the key to success is confidence in yourself. Talk of things that you are awesome at. Your unique skills, your unique path. Others do not have them. By being confident in your own abilities, you won’t be held back by the fear of being judged.

My take:

The fear of being judged is super limiting, and the single biggest impediment to your growth and happiness. It is all in your mind and it absolutely possible to overcome this fear. By focusing on your own thoughts and actions, letting go of the desire for external approval, and embracing confidence, you can live a full life without the fear of judgment holding you back. Remember, it’s okay to stand out and be different. Embrace your individuality and live life on your own terms.

Keywords: Unique, Self, Fear, Being Judged, Embracing

Hashtags: #Uniqueness, #Confidence, #OvercomingFear, #BeYourself, #EmbraceYourself