Dr. Aziz walks through a three-step exercise to stop chasing other people's approval. Identify who you're seeking it from, notice the internal hunger driving it, then give yourself the validation you're craving. The point is feeling the shift, not changing how others see you.
Here's a simple trick to let go of that grasping need of approval from others. You can even do it with me in this video. As you watch, can you think of someone in your life where you do want their approval? Someone you're attracted to, someone you respect at work? Focus on that for a second. You probably feel this kind of aching, grasping. It's almost like a hunger inside of your chest. So what do we do? Well, you actually focus on that hunger instead of trying to get away from it or think about how to manipulate the situation so they approve of you. You focus on. Focus on that discomfort and you find a way to give yourself what you need. What is it you're hoping they would say about you? Oh, he's so smart, or she's so pretty. Can you see yourself as smart already or pretty already? Can you give that to yourself? And you're like, no, no, I can't. That's stupid disease. Well, that's the problem because that's going to force you to constantly look for it outside of yourself. So find what it is you really actually want to hear or imagine others to say about you and start to say it to yourself.
