I’m not quite there yet, but I’m realizing I can see the steps to get there. Or at least signs that I’m going in the right direction.

1 Some people won’t like that or say they don’t see what you see. It’s okay that they’re wrong. You waiting for their approval to live your life will keep you from living your life.

I’ve had a strained relationship with a parent and reached a point where I knew nothing I did would impress them and I kept myself from doing things for years because I didn’t want them to disapprove. I’ve also had friends who insisted they knew things about me that were untrue. They didn’t validate my plans and shot me down when I was excited to do something.

2 You don’t need to sit down in a quiet place or have an epiphany to know that you want. You just need to start paying attention to what you’ve been saying all along.

I started thinking a lot about what I want or who I am as a person and it was only today that I noticed my thoughts enough to realize what I was really saying. You know - conversations you come back to, the foods you always find in your fridge, the songs you don’t skip when playing at random. I think I’ve been telling myself the things I want and that’s just listening to myself.

If you’re not listening to yourself, ask why. It’s my good or bad too not listen to yourself sometimes. But if you have a reason, that can help you understand what things might be important so that you can listen to yourself. Maybe you’re not listening to yourself because you’re in a bad situation. Or you don’t want to make someone upset.