In more recent months I’ve been challenging, and facing, the fear that creeps up when I think of what others may think of me.

Growing up, my very philosophical parents used to try and soothe the very angsty teen version of me by saying, “don’t worry, when you get older, you’ll care less of what others think of you.”

It’s got me thinking that as we get older, we may care less of what others think, but what I really believe happens is that we begin to care more about what we ourselves think.

By caring more about what we deem important we light up in the world, we begin to take action on what really matters to us, and we begin to take steps towards the business, creative practice, or career that has been calling us.

But most importantly, by caring more about what we think of our own lives, we begin to find fulfillment in simply being ourselves.

This is a friendly reminder from someone who has been actively practicing radical honesty in her daily life — in creative practice, relationships, and career.

It will be uncomfortable, and it may even hurt, but you’re doing it for you.

Be honest with yourself.

Be honest about the life you crave.

Be honest about who you’re becoming.

At the end of the day, the approval you’re seeking is your own.