Growing up, most people are seeking the approval of their peers, parents, guardians, siblings, elders or whoever else throughout grade school. It is agonizing, because you just want to make everyone happy, and show them that you can do this thing called life. When you venture out of high school, this mentality does not always go away. You find yourself genuinely dislike what you're doing, not thinking you are doing enough. You get on social media and see how others are doing, and you cannot help and compare. You start to notice you truly have fewer people approving of you, because some stopped caring, while others just expect you to get it right.

This is what has been truly eating me up inside. But this week I received some advice that I have thought through, and I am going to share it with you.

Don't listen to others.

I know this is something people have said from the beginning, but truly, it means more now. As we are getting older, branching off into the directions that life is going to take us, you are going to be on your own journey. Do not compare where you at, with wherever they are at. If you know you are doing well for yourself, do not let what other people say affect you.

If you make a mistake, just one simple mistake, or a couple, do not beat yourself up about it.

We don't have every nine weeks to be recognized for whatever we were doing in high school, so you need to recognize yourself. Just sit back and ask yourself, Am I doing my best? Can I improve what I am doing? Am I giving it my all? Don't ask yourself, Am I doing what they are doing? Am I succeeding like they are? At this point venturing into life as young adults, this is important. This leads me to my next point.

Give yourself your own breaks.

Ever just have those weeks where everything goes wrong, and you just need a break from it all? Well, give yourself that break. Do not wait for life to give you that break, or others to take it easy on you. Reality check, it/they won't. You just have to figure out however you can give yourself a break and relax from the pressures life is putting on you at the moment. For every person that is different, you just have to figure it out.

At the end of the day, just notice, and appreciate yourself.

Do not live for the validation from others, but simply the validation of yourself. It is always going to be easier said than done, but you can do it. The older you get, the more you will notice this, and notice yourself. You are making it, just believe in yourself.