Why you don't need anyone's approval

Many people claim to despise Facebook these days, as they say it serves as a constant reminder of things they either don't have or that aren't going as smoothly as they'd like.

Those who are single and yearn to be in a relationship are forced to see a barrage of posts of their friends cuddling with their significant other.

Those who are in a relationship and long to be married (but they can't for financial or other reasons) have to sit through endless wedding pictures.

And then those who are married or in a relationship -- and have either chosen not to have kids or desire them but haven't had them for one reason or another -- often see their Wall saturated with baby pictures.

Let's not forget those who boast of their shiny cars, vacations, or dining experiences seemingly every single day.

This leaves many of these people feeling like losers -- ones who can't get anyone to "like"or comment favorably on their content because it revolves around things people don't seem the least bit interested in, like food recipes, cat videos, and fun facts.

But here's good news: You don't need their validation.

If you have to be married with kids or sunbathing in the Caribbean for people to have any interest in your life, you're in the wrong crowd.

Sure, our interests, lifestyles, and priorities evolve as we get older, but people should be able to navigate such changes in a relationship that has a solid foundation.

Whether you're in a relationship, have kids, or have the money to dine out at luxurious restaurants shouldn't define you as a person. It's not as if we're a walking to do list with items to check off.

Sadly, people are conditioned to believe that if they don't follow the herd mentality -- doing things in the manner and order that most others do -- they are failures. And things like Facebook likes reinforce this type of thinking.

Though relationships are an important facet of one's life, we should never rely on anyone's approval but our own to feel happy about ourselves.

People lead different lives. They have dissimilar interests, goals, attitudes, beliefs, problems, backgrounds, and lifestyles. Why should their opinion of us hold so much weight? It shouldn't!

As long as we're happy with our own lives, that's all that matters. Don't get so down on yourself just because someone fails to like your post or pat you on the back. Don't feel as though you're any less than your friends or loved ones just because you aren't as wealthy as them or haven't achieved as many life milestones (marriage, kids, etc.).

Again, your life is your own. You'll get there in due time. And who says you have to have kids, get married, or own a yacht to be happy? Two people can define happiness in entirely different ways.

Do whatever makes YOU happy and forget what everyone else is doing. Don't allow societal pressure to dictate the decisions you make in your life.

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