Emotional Insecurity: How to Stop Seeking Validation From Others

You spend hours analyzing what others think of you. You fear disappointing them, you seek approval before making decisions—that constant feeling of not being enough has a name: emotional insecurity.
It doesn’t exist because you’re weak; it exists because you learned that your worth depended on others’ opinions. And even when you try to hide it, you end up living according to what people think of you.

When Your Worth Depends on Someone Else
Emotional insecurity makes you measure your value by the affection or attention you receive. If others approve of you, you feel good; if they criticize or distance themselves, you fall apart.
It’s not a lack of self-love—it’s a wound. At some point, you were made to believe that you only deserved love if you met certain expectations.
In therapy, many people say, “I know I have value, but I need someone to tell me.”
And that’s the trap: you rely on external validation that will never be enough, because the only voice that can give you peace is your own.

How to Stop Seeking Constant Approval

1.      Notice when and with whom you feel most insecure. Observing it is the first step toward breaking the pattern.

2.      Don’t wait for someone to tell you you’ve done well. Say it to yourself. Write it down. Acknowledge it.

3.      Act from what brings you peace, not from what pleases others.

Emotional insecurity fades when you know yourself, accept yourself, and speak to yourself with respect.
Therapy helps you build that solid internal foundation where your worth no longer depends on anyone else’s approval.