Well it is said that no one knows you better than you do. Undoubtedly true, so it is quite astonishing the profound effect others perception of our kind of person may have on us, or at least our mood.
For instance, if we were to hear from a friend that another person while trying to describe us mentioned a quality worthy of praise, it directly lightens our mood as we believe more people may also see such in us. In the same way we may get upset, bitter or even depressed when we hear bad remarks from others, whether or not we do have the said qualities.
So what is the reason for this concern? Well for one, "image" . To a great extent, although some more than others, everyone cares how the society sees him or her.
This is clear, and has been proven to be so, and while this could be advantageous, this like every other thing has it's demerits.
Societal pressure has often led to feeling inadequate, suffocated, and depressed. Sadly, many cases of suicide have been due to this pressure.
So what does one do about this?
First, it would be very helpful to remember that each individual has a different perception of you in their minds, be it your friends and even your family. This is so because they are different people, and therefore cannot share the same thinking faculty.
Perception is a thing of the mind, so imagine trying to change the minds of 100 people who think negatively of you.
It all boils down to self confidence. You may try your hardest to please society, which everyone does at one point in life. But the key is knowing when to chill and see things how they really are. What do I mean?
"Society" is a group of people, like I mentioned earlier, with different perceptions, so when you try your hardest to made a good name for yourself and you see you are less than being appreciated, you should have at the back of your mind that you cannot please everyone, but the most important thing to remember is self appreciation. (See my last article "self realisation and success).
In a generation filled with hate speech, and insensitive remarks, be your life coach and give yourself the credit when need be. Because no matter what you know you better than anyone else does. So who would you trust, who would you believe, Society or yourself?
Think about it.
I agree with you, that life exists according to perception. What has been perceived by anyone else, differs from what someone thinks in particular.
All human beings have a unique personality. What others say matters up to a certain extent.
Each of us should be able to control our own lives. We should be confident enough to think, and even act.
The personal desire to act leads to the accomplishment of lifestyle success. What has been perceived, determines "who we are".
This idea is truly inspiring.