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How to Give Freely Without the Need for Praise
“The best way to get approval is not to need it.” — Hugh MacLeod
Most people want to feel important. They want to know they matter and that others appreciate them. When they don’t think their behaviors and words count, some become depressed. Their mood takes a downturn, and they try to make people notice them.
One way they do so is to do things they imagine people will love them for doing, hoping for recognition and validation that ramps up their sense of worth. But when you increase self-value by working on inner appreciation, you need not get it from anywhere else. You can give and do things to help people without being thanked or held in high esteem.
Carrying out acts of kindness without taking credit for them can be a source of joy. You no longer consider how people view you because you don’t need their validation. You focus on how your behavior will boost their well-being or improve the world.
The satisfaction you gain transforms into more than it would have been if it were about adding to your self-esteem. Consequently, you still gain from your actions because you find meaning in what you do and bolster your sense of purpose while helping others. But how can you increase self-worth and stop striving for praise and recognition? First, it…
