Caring about what the meaningful people in your life think of you is a sign of emotional health.

When you care about how your actions and words impact others, it is a sign of social awareness.

This preoccupation can stem from a childhood pattern with a problematic attachment figure.

Fixating on what other people think about you is painful. Yet, caring about what other people think about you can be a positive thing. Three scenarios can help you know the difference between fixating and caring.

First, worrying about what others think about you is a positive tendency when these people are deeply meaningful to you. Conversely, being fixated on what strangers or acquaintances think about you may be a problem. Being cognizant of what close friends and loved ones think about you can help you curate healthy bonds with the people with whom you are close.

For example, Molly and her daughter have a miscommunication that leaves her daughter deeply disappointed about having to cancel an event that is important to her. After they both calm down, Molly empathizes with her daughter’s feelings, and her daughter apologizes for throwing a fit about it. They hug it out. Yet, Molly still feels uncomfortable about the misunderstanding and worries that her daughter may distrust her. She reflects on the situation and creatively figures out a way to take her daughter to her event.

If Molly........

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