How often have you acted against your own instincts just to secure someone's approval? How frequently do you allow others' idea of happiness become your own? You're not in the minority if you concede you've done the above more times than you could count.  Indeed, we tend to assign a disproportionate amount of weight to other people's opinions and judgments, leaving us sulking when we feel we've failed to meet their expectations. But it's important to remind ourselves whose validation ultimately matters. That's right, our own. It's not to say that your sister's opinion, neighbor's suggestion, or co-workers feedback should be discounted entirely. Other people's input can certainly give a us a feel for how others approach a given situation given their unique life experiences.  But if we're not careful, we may become so dependent on their two cents that they're the ones who will be in the driver's seat of our lives. You wouldn...