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Why Do We Need Acceptance?
It can be a fine line between human interaction and seeking validation.
It is a part of human nature to connect with other people. Even the most introverted people need at least some, albeit often minimal, human interaction.
We are social creatures by our overall nature. Not quite pack animals like lions or wolves, but we do tend to form groups and communities that work together, play together, and so on.
While it’s totally healthy to be social and interact with people, sometimes we need more. Sometimes we need to be validated by other people. This usually comes in the form of acceptance.
There is nothing wrong in desiring for people to accept you as a part of their group/community/tribe or what-have-you. At least, not on the face of it. But when all of your personal energy goes into acceptance, and you change who you are fundamentally in order to BE accepted, that this gets problematic.
The reason it gets problematic is that, in being someone you are not in order to be accepted by others, you lose yourself. Being someone other than your true self takes a toll eventually. This can impact you physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
Because our society is so obsessed with quick-fixes and instant gratification, we are often pushed to be someone we are not, in…
