People think I'm looking for approval

Sometimes there's nothing left to do but laugh even though the situation is anything but funny. People talk to me in a way that makes it obvious they think I care what they think about me. I really don't.

I had somebody tell me the other day, right after spending about 10 minutes following me around at work trying to convince me I had done something wrong, "you're not a bad person." I seriously almost turned around and laughed in his face. I have enough self control to conduct myself like a professional so I just kept on walking. Apparently he actually thought I need some random person's approval badly enough that he would be able to tell me I'm not a bad person and then hook me to get me to believe I had done something wrong. It goes without saying none of us are perfect, that's life, but he was accusing me of the sort of thing you could not possibly do by mistake and which I had not done at all so there was no way in hell I was going to pretend I had done what he claimed. And no, I don't need anybody to tell me I'm not a bad person. As people go I'm a pretty good one.

I think what makes me laugh even more is when people try to be critical of my appearance. Okay, you seriously don't realize when you look at me that I did my own shopping, I chose my own hairstyle, and I dressed myself this morning? You don't think I looked in a mirror and said either, "alright, this will work for today," or "hey I look alright! Let's go!" I need somebody else's approval of my appearance like I need a hole in my head. Not getting it doesn't hurt me.

I'm not in this life to be evaluated by people who are no better or greater than I am, which to be clear is everybody. Somebody might have a degree or be well liked in a given area or have some really nice talent, but ultimately the most upstanding of world leaders and the most average barista and the most limited person on Earth are absolutely no different from each other. We are all just caffeinated monkeys with anxiety, except for people who have anxiety without caffeine even being involved. There's no stopping people from broadcasting their opinions but I really wish they'd stop wasting my time.

---

anonymous Other July 01, 2026 at 12:16 pm 0 0