I don't care what people think

Do you care what people think? We're not supposed to, right? We're supposed to be our own person, do what we're called to, what's right, regardless of what people think. Caring about what people think is just approval-seeking and putting our success and self-esteem in the hands of others.

The trouble is, I see too many people use this ideal of independence as an excuse for self-centered and heartless behavior. I think it's because the phrase is missing something.

I don't care what people think about me.

Now we're independent. I do what's right without caring what you think about me. If I love you, though, even in the most generic sense, I very much care about what you think. What you think is a large part of who you are, and if I don't care about that, I don't care much about you.

So be independent. Don't worry about what other people think about you. Just care about what they think.