Public Opinion

"People who want the most approval get the least and people who need approval the least get the most."

Don't look for approval from others, for a number of reasons.

1] They probably don't really care very much about you, certainly not as much as you care about yourself. So why worry about the opinion of people to whom you don't matter that much. People are far more concerned about themselves then they are about you.

2] No matter what, there are always going to be people for whom your decisions are unpopular. So you can't please everyone anyway, so why try?!

3] People only see you through the prism of their own existence, but chances are they don't really understand you. So why care about what someone thinks if they don't "get" you?! Their whole perspective is skewed.

4] You are going to be with Hashem for the rest of eternity so you don't have to worry what others think - only Him.

5] You want to be happy. You will be happy if you fulfill your own deeper needs. Trying to please others will only throw you off your true destiny.

6] Ultimately, people will respect you for doing what you think is right and for not trying to play for public approval. [See opening quote]

OF COURSE, we must add that the whole Torah was given to bring peace and pleasantness to the world [see Rambam at the end of Hilchos Chanukah] so what I wrote does not mean that one should not be sensitive to the needs of others. We are here to help make others happy. But when you have a decision to make in life, remember, the ultimate factor in one's decision should be one thing. What is RIGHT! Not what people will say.

Love, Blessings and a gut voch to all!!