One thing I try to remember (because I spent 20+ years in therapy on account of it?) is that the inside of my head may or may not have anything to do with "reality" and I have to check reality, ask other people what they think, not just assume I know or can tell. I can't read other people's minds but I keep forgetting that

Even when I think I know the truth, still have to check it out, even if it's about something I don't want to know, something that hurts. "Are you angry at me?" or "Are you looking unhappy because of something I said or did?" has to be asked (even though it also brings the dismaying, "It's not about you!" response. Over time I've learned to ask things a bit more precisely "Are you looking pained because I screamed?" (I'm deaf in one ear so I'm often too "loud" for my husband's taste and he doesn't like it when I scream because I've dropped a knife while working in the kitchen and I'm barefooted -- the scream hurts his ears/startles him :-)

But I still have trouble remembering to check out what the other person is thinking or to challenge what I'm thinking. I do have good results with my esteem when I check and what I think "matches" what the other person responds. It may even be "bad" news but at least I'm "on track."