I came back from seeing friends recently and my wife asked if I was offended by what someone had said about me. I was delighted to say I wasn’t.
What people think about us, or think they know what we’re thinking, is entirely about them. It’s tempting to think it’s about us and so we react to ‘protect’ ourselves, but in truth, nothing could be further from reality.
If I look at a box and consider it round instead of square, no matter how much I protest and try to persuade another of its shape as I perceive it, the box remains the same. That idea is entirely mine and doesn’t change the reality of the object just because that’s how I see it.
It’s no different to people’s perceptions of us. They may see or think we’re something, but that’s only their perception, so it says much more about them than it does about us.
No one sees us the way we see ourselves. People who adore us for who they see us as, or dislike us for who they think we are, they will all be wrong. So why do we take offence when someone perceives us differently?
Next time you’re in a situation where you feel misunderstood, try ignoring it. Allow someone to have their perception and simply smile knowingly. All they’re doing is projecting their own personality on you. It simply has nothing to do with you at all. Good luck.