We naturally seek and gain approval from external sources. Whether it's the size of our friend group, the prestigiousness of an internship, or the amount of romantic interest we receive, we can't help but feel validated by these factors and invalidated by the lack thereof. Beginning in middle school, I always felt the need to excel in school, have a ton of friends, and mold my physical appearance for the male gaze. On today's episode, I analyze how these experiences affected who I am today, and I discuss my growing desire to break free from these sources of validation.