JACOB MAZIMBA

One thing I have come to understand in life is that people will always have something to say about you. No matter who you are or what you do, someone will find a reason to criticize, judge, or make fun of you. It could be your appearance, your background, your mistakes, your struggles, or even things you have no control over. For a long time, I used to think that what people said about me had the power to hurt me. But as the years went by, I realized something important: words only become powerful when we give them permission to live in our minds. Think about it. If someone calls you worthless, does that actually change your worth? If someone laughs at your flaws, does that suddenly make you less valuable? Of course not. Their opinion is just that, an opinion. It does not define who you are. Now, that does not mean hurtful words never sting. We are human beings, not machines. Sometimes criticism hurts. Sometimes rejection leaves a mark. But there is a difference between feeling pai...