Are you Addicted to Approval?

Signs of being addicted to approval include:

You are very aware of the expectations of others. They also affect how you feel about yourself.

You are constantly worried about how others view you / what they are thinking about you.

You choose NOT to do things that others don’t approve of for fear of judgment and rejection.

You DO things you don’t want to do because you fear others making fun or you, putting you down, or talking about it.

You feel anxious and upset if you think you have upset or irritated someone – and desperately try to make things right.

You think the views and opinions of others are more informed and valuable than yours.

You agree when others criticize and put you down. Then you start to attack and feel ashamed of yourself.

You reject yourself if other people reject you.

TJ

How to Deal with Rejection

1. Remind yourself of who you really are – and use positive self-talk to change the way you feel.

2. When you have to speak to someone who outwardly rejects you try to act as if you love and feel good about yourself. Fake courageous feelings, and act self confident. (“Fake it till you make it” – and you’ll find your feelings change.)

3. Respond in a friendly, self-respecting way and they’re likely to treat you the same way too. Control your interactions by setting the tone. You will be the one with the upper hand.

4. Use humor in uncomfortable and awkward situations. Humor defuses tension, and puts people at ease. If someone is rude or insulting try to find a way of turning it into a joke. People who have bullying tendencies expect you to get anger or act in a defensive way. When you respond with humor, they don’t know what to do.

5. Overlook small stuff. It’s not worth get upset over every little thing. They’re not worth the effort and energy.

6. Always believe in yourself. You know the truth about who you really are. You’re not stupid; you’re not a victim. You are one who is charge of your life. You have plenty of things to feel good about.


TJ