We are taught: What will others think?

In my opinion, I sometimes care about what my family and relatives think about me due to the age difference and the difference between our experience, so I have to act according to what pleases them, simply out of respect and the dynamics of our relationship.

In my culture and community, elders always taught us as children to think about what others would think about you. I think it’s a cultural thing. But this is so deeply instilled in children that they grow up believing it and live their lives accordingly.

Also, it turns into a cycle — from one generation to the next.

I deeply believe that people who are always focused on what people say about them can have their personality and characters built on that and that’s not always a good thing. It can make you become a people pleaser.

Sometimes, people refrain from mentioning their true opinions on things because of society. It stops their real personalities to show.

However when speaking about society as a whole, I really don’t care about what people say.

I mean, I don’t let it affect me in the long run, and I definitely don’t act according to what someone would perceive me as.

I live life by knowing that someone will always have something to say no matter what I do and you can’t please everyone.

From Ms Raya Khalid

Resident based in Dubai