I came across the following quote on Facebook earlier today: "Fifteen years ago, the internet was an escape from the real world. Now, the real world is an escape from the internet."  The quote is attributed to Noah Smith, a professor of finance. What Smith is essentially saying is that we seem to "live" digitally now more than we do the traditional way. It makes perfect sense. If you're like me, you probably communicate more with friends and family via email, text, WhatsApp, or social media than you do in person. You're likely shopping more online than you do at brick-and-mortar stores. And you're probably watching movies more frequently through services like Netflix than at the movie theater. While there's no question the convenience the internet affords us has made our lives easier in myriad ways, it's also made human interaction much more impersonal. If you'd asked me in the 90s whether relatives and friends would someday wish ...

The more you seek validation from other people for your actions, the less happier in life you'll be. Lao Tzu said it best: "Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner." Abraham Manslow, for his part, said, "Be independent of the good opinion of other people." Another similarly powerful quote comes from Vernon Howard: "“A truly strong person does not need the approval of others any more than a lion needs the approval of sheep.” I think that there are some genuinely good people out in the world, and human beings do need to cultivate social relationships in order be well-adjusted members of society. But there are just as many selfish, inconsiderate ones willing to tear you down just to feel better about themselves. A person's opinion should never matter as much as our own. Eleanor Roosevelt was once quoted as saying that no one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Some people need others' approval in or...