Stop Seeking Approval & Validation

A few month ago, I met a friend who is Balinese and lives in Bali. One thing that fascinated me with him was how he dealt with life. Just an illustration, we both graduated from the Best State University in the country, got our master degree from the UK and worked in industries that are notably multinational companies or big names.

That day was almost 4 years, he decided for not having any social media account. There is no Instagram, no Twitter or no Facebook No anything. He stopped working in big city to make a living in Bali by continuing his family business. He told me, the reason for the choice he made.

I asked why he chose that choice, I mean living peacefully from big city and move to the village in Bali where his family lives, he teach me the concept of “not seeking anyone’s approval”. In life we ​​often measure what we achieve with other people’s standard.

Honestly, I sometimes use another person’s timeline to measure what I had to achieve in this world. I used to think that I already got married before the age of 25, I already has a home before the age of 30, or at least I am dating someone. I used to dictate myself that I have to go to a certain level at certain age, I have to be a mother before 30 or I have to reach a certain career position at a certain age. But, the reality is not that smooth. I experienced things that…