Is it important to you?

I think that could be true, I am one of those people who do need the approval of others. I am a very happy, content, full of joy and laughter kind of person, so it seems that I don't have to deal with it very often, but when I do . . . boy, it can really make me feel troubled.

Those who matter to me yes. If my parents didn't approve things I did I wouldn't be happy but I also wouldn't let them drag me down because they didn't share my opinion or believes. ~Joey

I can't claim to be completely immune, but I am glad to report that this means much less to me now than it has at other points of my life. Here's a prime example. I recently started working out in a gym again, having finally found a great setup where I can work out with child care and not a huge fee. I used to love to do the stairmaster and had worked up to 45 minutes... but that was a long time ago and now I'm trying to build myself back up and the most I've been able to do so far is 8 minutes. I was a little embarrassed to get off of the machine so quickly, but I changed my mind about that fast. After all, at least I am trying to improve, and no one who might judge me has any right to do so. They don't pay my bills, and I will continue to try to build up more time on that fearsome machine! To really not yearn for the approval of other people indicates a comfort in your own skin, and it truly is comfortable. It matters to me that my close family and friends at least understand and support my decisions, but I am happy to not "need" the approval of anyone to proceed!

To some extent. The only people I really thought it was important to have the approval of was my parents. But I do find myself trying to please everyone sometimes. I do know that old saying that you can't please everyone, and boy, is that true! But I wouldn't let it bother me to the extent of making my life unhappy.

Totally agree. My daughter in law is trying to win her mother's approval and is in constant turmoil. In fact she is on meds for depression. And in the constant search for approval, she sometimes hurts others by trying to grandstand everything others do for her to make her mother seem bigger then life. It's so sad.

There's no perfect man in the world. I don't think one can win the approval of everyone. You can ask someone else for advice, but never do things blindly just to "get the approval"of others. You should never change your decision easily.

It matters only what close people think of me. However, I try to always be loving and kind to everyone. If you like me fine, if not, that is their choice. It' doesn't bother me.

To be perfectly honest with you, I really couldnt give a rats a$$ if ppl like me or not...Generally they do simply because I'm so approachable, easy goin etc etc but there are some who really dont know wht to think of me or rather how to take me at first and others just flat out dont like me...Its not important though..I know I'm a solid woman, I know I'm a good woman/friend/mother etc and my family loves me and I love me so what else do I need really? More often than not I find ppl dont like me because they feel I'm a threat to them in some way which to be perfectly honest with you is not only ridiculous but its pathetic....I have a couple friends back home that I'm close with and they had friends that I didnt know but they didnt like me JUST BECAUSE I was competition to them when it came to our mutual friend...Something we could never quite figure out really...I know women back home who were threatened by the fact that I was buddies with their husbands or bfs..I could know the guy for 20 yrs or more but becaue I'm as laid back as I am and becuae I get along with men as well as I do I was a threat before these women even got the chance to know me...and LOL holy hell look out if they found out I was a stripper!! LOL omg all hell would break loose!! I think being concerned with what others thing is a waste of time really...what difference does it make when you break it down ya know....Who gives a flip who likes who and who doesnt etc etc....Ppl worry about that sort of silliness far too much IMO

If you main goal in life is striving to win others' approval, than yes...it will bring you unhappiness because it's not going to happen always! You must learn to know and appreciate your own talents and know when you have done a good job and be satisfied. And when the occasional approval is given, then you can enjoy that also!

No it is not. Unfortunately some people take it as arrogance on my part but I don't that it is. I am just me and I am not out to impress anyone or gain their approval.

I could not agree more. It is impossible to please everyone all the time. And for a fact, most people have no clue as to what really pleases them. So how can you even begin to know? When you try to please everyone, you become their slave. And you can never do enough to please them anyway. Happiness is not found in being a slave to others or in trying to please everyone. Who cares if someone approves of you or not? And since when are they qualified to approve you anyway? They can't even approve of themselves. Happiness is found in living your own life, on your terms, as long as you don't violate the rights of others. With this kind of freedom, you can do as you wish and live a carefree life. You are then free to help others or do exactly as you please to please yourself. No one has the right to approve you or dissapprove you. That is your choice that you make from within yourself. You can choose to love yourself and respect yourself or live by the design of others. In that you have no excuses for feeling totally miserable. As with your thinking and your emotional health, the choice is all yours.

No, not at all. As long as my family loves me I really couldn't care what anyone else thinks. Don't get me wrong it's nice to have people like you but if they can't accept you for who you are then why bother trying to change to please them?

I'm finding these days now that I'm older and wiser that I care very little about the approval of others so in fact I couldn't care any less than I do. I approve of me and that's what counts. Thinking about it though, I do still try for my Dad's approval and I think I'm getting there.

I am me!As my mother use to tell me and my siblings....we are here to please ourselves,noone else.....and I live by that....

I was raised and encouraged to be a 'people pleaser.' I don't believe that being that way is being true to yourself though. When you're a people pleaser, you are often (more than not) pleasing those around you and skipping your own needs. I don't seek approval from others. I think as long as you live by the golden rule, and the ten commandments, and 'do no harm to others', that you can live your life in harmony with others as opposed to doing something just for the sake of others approval. Have I made unpopular decisions in my lifetime? Heck yeah! But after the fact I'd hear: Now why didn't I think of that?! OR: unusual approach, but it worked out well... If you only live for the approval of others, you will never be happy because you are denying yourself the freedom of YOUR choices. Some of the worlds greatest inventors, political people, and wonderful human beings have added to the greatness of humanity simply because they did not become 'sheep' and chose to paddle their own canoe, and stuck by what they believed in. Going against the grain isn't always popular, but that's what makes us each uniquely us.