Approval? Approval is stupid. Why do you care if others approve or not?  

Although you do not require my approval, I thoroughly approve of your essay here. When you plan your life based on what others may think, you have given away your power to control your own life, you have handed your destiny over to the winds of opinion, you have squandered the freewill that you were given by the Creator. Your mind is a gift - USE IT!

The people I let into my life are accepted by me for who they are, even if they do things that I would not choose for myself, it is their business. If what they do is completely unacceptable to me, I may try to advise them if I think it is harmful, but ultimately I'd have to let them go because I can't be surrounded with people who do things I find abhorrent.

I don't need anyone's approval, it's nice to have it, but I don't need it. I don't need acceptance from anyone but my loved ones, and if people can't accept who I am then they are welcome to kiss my asss and walk away.

I don't care. Never did and never will. I live my life for me, MY approval is all I need.

Acceptance is the highest state of consciousness. Zazem (Zen meditation) is all about just sitting and being with whatever there is to sit and be with. Letting go of judgement and criticism. For those who are interested, I have written an article on acceptance here - http://tinyurl.com/6tgbpr

Seeking approval is like seeking an illusion, because.... what have you got when you have approval? Therefore, what have you lost, when you lose approval. Fritz Perls (founder of Gestallt Therapy) wrote, "I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, and you are not in this world to live up to mine. If we meet it could be great, if not, it cannot be helped. " - Derek

hi mommyboo thats what I have asked myself many many times in my life.
I was raised in a very strict way, by my mom, aunt and Grandma, after my parents divorced when I still was very small.
From the time I could well understand and use the word NO I was denied approval in my life. Mind you I never did any of these shocking things like skipping school, having to repeat a class, shocking bad grades, smoking underage, drugs, boys, alcohol and the like.
Yet only cause I am just not the family type who will rip herself apart for the Clans Sake and always nod an approving yes to every expectation, I was and am the black sheep.
The major decisions in my life where I really went against my mothers wishes were to leave the Catholic Church and become a Baptist with 25 ( returned to th Catholics later when I felt my time at these free churches was over and done with for several reasons) then moving out with the glorious age of 30 when the job I had was stable enough to do so

And in 2005 getting married to someone who is disabled and so cant just go and earn money for the family. Marrying down the social ladder which made my mother mad at first and on top of all this go and relocate 3,5 hours drive by car or train though my mother is old now. Simply as I think I have the right to my own life.

Relocating does not mean neglecting my mom. I phone her several times a week and visit her for her special days like Mothers Day, Birthday, Saints Day and Christmas of course.

My family also has to accept what I do and how I live. Whether they approve of it or not.

There is a saying, your freedom ends where my freedom begins. And I think you are right as long as one considers this saying in her or his life and is a little bit compassionate to others as well theres nothing wrong to just do what you think is right regardless of approval.