Are you addicted to approval?

The greatest prison you can live in is caring too much about what other people think. Of course, other people are important – but to what extent are your happiness and wellbeing dependant on getting some form of approval from another person?

Social media has further developed our approval addiction. We share #selfies, and worry when not enough people “like” what we post. As a result, people are losing their ability to focus on what really matters: we live in an approval-addicted society built around instant gratification.

Living as an approval addict is like living in a mental prison. You have to constantly make sure you say the right thing, do the right thing, and look right in order to get the needed “likes”, love and approval. Your feelings are on a roller coaster – from feeling the wonderful feelings that come from getting your approval “fix” to feeling the despair that comes when your “supply” – the source of your approval – isn’t there anymore.

Love and approval addiction is rooted…