The People Who Told Me I Had Problems Through Years of "Harsh but Honest Advice" Gave Me Those Problems

People who say I’m not relaxed enough make me feel tense.

People who say my voice sounds too strained make my voice strain.

People who say I’m hard to get along with make it even harder for me to get along with them.

People who say I smack my lips when I eat make me smack my lips when I eat. It only happens around them, because I’m nervously trying to please them.

People who say I lack emotional intelligence make it impossible for me to be socially graceful around them.

People who say I have a bad temperament and get impatient easily make me impatient when I’m with them.

People who say I’m too polite and fake leave me no choice but to be even more polite and fake.

People who love me help me love myself, love others, and love the world.

People who like me help me like myself, like others, and like the world.

People who believe in me help me believe in myself, believe in others, and believe in the world.

People who respect me help me respect myself, respect others, and respect people at large.

People who believe I can do things make me more capable.

People who find me charming make me more charming.

“Choosing Who to Socialize With”: Be strict about whom you let into your life, and forgiving toward yourself.

Ordinary people aren’t emperors. Don’t get too attached to the idea that “honest advice is hard to hear,” and watch out for psychological manipulation.