waterwalker

Don't let others manipulate you

Moreover, it is required of stewards that a man should be found faithful (proving himself worthy of trust). But (as for me personally) it matters very little to me that I should be put on trial by you, and that you or any other human tribunal should investigate and question and cross-question me. I do not even put myself on trial and judge myself. 1 Corinthians 4:2-3

That is a very liberating attitude - not to be concerned with public opinion or even self-opinion.
How far do you think Jesus would have gotten if He had worried about what people thought? Philippians 2:7 says Jesus purposely "made himself of no reputation." As I was pondering that verse one day, Jesus said, "I got that over with right away." Eventually so did I. Now I no longer feel I have to run around trying to please people all the time.
I must admit I don't like it when people are unhappy with me. But I know I cannot let people manipulate me with their demands.
As followers of Christ, we are to be led by the Spirit, not control others, but allow them to be led by the Spirit just as we are.

Walk in love
And walk in love... as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us. Ephesians 5:2
The point is, if we know we are doing the best we know how, we should not let other people's opinions of us bother us.
Still we must walk in love. We cannot just do anything we want to, anytime we want to. We cannot say, "Whoever doesn't like it, that's tough, that's their problem." Love does not behave that way.
Yet we must not allow people to manipulate and control us to the point we are never free to be who we are. If we do, we will always be trying to become whatever we think others expect us to be.
from: Joyce Meyer "Straight Talk"