2025-10-03 – News – www.theguardian.com
Is it worth paying with your life to avoid being mocked, asks advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith. Practice valuing your own judgments as much as other people’s
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I have a crippling fear of judgment and being perceived negatively. Having grown up in a household where mockery was the norm, I believe this has left a lasting mark on my psyche which has resulted in me being afraid to act for fear of mockery, scorn or negative judgment. I feel this has severely stunted my social and romantic life, preventing me from making lasting friendships and relationships. I’m keen to break from this but the gnawing fear holds me back.
I spend my non-working days and hours cooped up in my house and alone. Crucially, this fear does not overcome me when I’m working and in fact I’m comfortable leading large groups of people and meeting new people. I believe this is because when I’m at work I know where I stand and I have a specific objective in mind. However, in my…
