Live for yourself

People have dreams and they want to pursue their careers. They have goals, they have ambitions and they know the exact process to achieve all these but still they are unable to achieve. You want to lose weight; you know the process. Just two simple things, eat less and move more. You want to get good grades, study more. But still, you are unable to achieve your goals.

Why? Because you’re not doing it for yourself. You’re doing it to please others. Your decisions are influenced by others. You are living for validation and approval from other people. People pleasers who seek approval and validation from others or chase money just to impress and approve their worth lose their own identity and happiness and eventually deplete their soul power.

Do you ever find yourself pulled between what you want and what others want for you? Are you too afraid to be your true self or share your real thoughts? Do you care too much about what other people think?

From childhood, a lot of us begin our lives learning to live for our parents’ approval and the approval of those around us, our peers, teachers, or society in general. This comes out of our desire for love and a sense of belongings. We seek love and acceptance from others, which is understandable, as one of Maslow’s psychological needs.

Eventually though, we must learn to love ourselves, and find within us the love, approval, validation and confidence we’ve been yearning for. Thus begins the journey of discovering internal validation over external validation.

Living for yourself means living the life that YOU want for yourself, regardless of the opinions of others. It’s living a life you feel aligned with, a life of love, and a life you’re proud of.

Let’s first clarify that “living for yourself and not others” doesn’t mean you should live a selfish life without considering or helping other people. It means learning to put your own needs first, and making choices that align with your values; doing things because you want to, and not because other people are influencing you to.

“Living for yourself” is not selfish and first and foremost if you want to live a life full of happiness and joy, you should in fact take care of yourself and your own happiness first. Happiness, inner fulfilment and contentment is what matters the most. Living for yourself is the key to leading a happy and empowered life.

Living for yourself allows you to focus on your own happiness and well-being. It helps you to develop a strong sense of self and identity. You’re able to pursue your passions and interests without fear of judgment from others. It allows you to set and achieve your own goals, rather than living up to someone else’s expectations. You become more self-aware and in tune with your own needs and desires.

Understand that your life is in your hands, and if you give away that power to anyone else, you’re taking away from your own.