I remember working at a psychiatric hospital when someone shared a powerful truth with me—the three most impactful words on not taking things personally:
“If you take everything personally, you’ll be offended for the rest of your life.”
That statement hit me like a ton of bricks because it’s so true. Think about it: most of the time, when people say or do things that hurt us, it’s not actually about us. It’s about them—their struggles, insecurities, or emotional state. They’re acting from their own baggage, not because they have some grand scheme to upset us.
But here’s the catch—it’s easy to understand this concept, yet much harder to put into practice. When someone’s words or actions sting, our natural instinct is to internalize it, to believe it’s directed at us personally. But the reality is this: while you can’t control what others say or do, you can control how you respond. And choosing not to be weighed down by someone else’s behavior is one of the most liberating decisions you can make.
There’s a profound sense of freedom in letting go of the need to absorb other people’s issues. When you stop tying your happiness and peace of mind to how someone else behaves, you reclaim your power. As the saying wisely goes, “The way people treat you is their problem; how you react is yours.”
So why waste your energy carrying someone else’s burdens? Instead, decide today to rise above the negativity. Don’t let someone else’s bad day dictate your mood or ruin your peace. Detach from the drama, focus on your own well-being, and move forward with grace.
Trust me, when you let go of taking things personally, you’ll feel lighter, freer, and far more at peace. And someday, your future self will thank you for making this choice.
Evans Akpo 