‘There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.’ – Elbert Hubbard

If you don’t want to be criticized, say nothing, do nothing and be nothing. The moment you say something, do something and stand for something, you become a target for people’s opinions, comments and criticism. Some of this external input would be warranted, most would not be helpful, while some would be subjective. The key to navigating the opinions of others or the Fear of others’ opinions (FOPO) is to know your truth, trust your judgment, learn from well-intentioned criticisms and stay off the comment section. Never explain, those that need it don’t matter and those that matter don’t need. Everyone has the right to their opinion but not to the facts. The fact is that we are beings having a human experience, and that entails making errors, mistakes, and shortcomings.