Validate me!!!

I have 2 children, 10 siblings, A husband, And countless friends and family members (it's because of that whole 10 siblings thing)

I say all this, not to brag, but to give you a picture of my background.

I interact with people a lot, on facebook, and in real life. All different kinds of people, from a variety of places, ages, and social backgrounds. And I've noticed a key trend with all these individuals, we're all looking for one thing.

Validation.

Proof that we matter to someone, anyone. We just want to belong, to fit in, to feel wanted, needed, and loved.

And so we post pictures of ourselves, our children. We continually change our status updates to something witty and impressive. Anything that will make people stop and pay attention. We all want to be 'liked' and commented on. It makes us feel important, needed, validated. Young teenagers put up pictures/video's and literally beg people to say that they are pretty or cool.

It's as if we carry a little soapbox into the street, plop it down, and scream at the people passing by "Validate me! Tell me I am OK! Tell me I am pretty! Talented! Smart! Validate me!"

Our ego's, self identity and self esteem are so fragile. It doesn't take much to break them. And the more arrogant a person is, the more fragile they are. We are constantly bombarded by media and imagery that shows us everything we aren't. And why we aren't thin enough, pretty enough, muscular enough, smart enough, or talented enough.

And so the infamous facebook "likes" and comments mean the world to us. Our friends compliments mean the world to us. Our partner's have to constantly affirm us. Because if we don't get that constant stamp of approval, our fragile self esteem shatters.

Here's the secret though. All of the outside validation (meaning any kind of approval in anyway from persons another than yourself) doesn't really mean a thing. It's empty. Fake. And only allows you to build a sham of self confidence.

In order to really feel validated, you have to validate yourself.

You have to feel that you are OK, pretty, smart, and talented. All on your own.

Because if you don't you constantly crave outside validation, and when you don't get it, you are thrown into the depths of depression. It's an endless and exhausting cycle.

As pointless as immortals fighting an endless war. They win a battle, they lose one, they die, regenerate, and fight more. Endless, exhausting, pointless. The epitome of a pointless and wasted existence.

It's time to start really living. Stop the endlessly pointless cycle. Stop screaming at the passing tide of people.

Validate yourself!