sense of self is all-important in the pursuit of happiness, imo. allowing the opinions of others to meddle in that pursuit reveals there is something to address inward. consider your thoughts, behaviors and feelings and try to figure out how you are allowing this to happen. if you can do that, it's a simple matter of readjustment to achieve the desensitization (good word choice btw) you seek.
for me, it all came down to integrity. imbuing my every behavior with a sense of integrity caused all external judgments to fall by the wayside. in doing this, the very act of being has become my validation.
