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Is Approval Seeking Behaviour Holding You Back ?

Is Approval Seeking Behaviour Holding You Back?

Are you guilty of wanting approval from others ? As well changing your behaviour so as to avoid criticism? Instead of doing what’s best for you.

Are you worrying too much about whether you’re liked or not ? If so this places your happiness in the hands of others

Moreover not getting that approval causing stress, anxiety and a knock in your confidence.

Are you giving away your power? Perhaps building barriers in order to feel worthy. People pleasing behaviour often has exactly the opposite effect. Moreover people viewing you as weak or a doormat.

Is your approval seeking behaviour a problem?

Firstly, If your approval addiction becoming a form of stress or anxiety. If so it’s likely that you’ll be aiming low. Moreover, making small efforts to gain approval and avoiding riskier ventures. Furthermore, spreading your efforts thinly. Thus stopping you from focusing on what really matters.

Alternatively, are you over achieving in one area of life? Perhaps you spending too much time on a hobby. Or putting all your energy into your career. If this is what you truly want, it might not be a bad thing. However, if you’re doing more than you can handle, or neglecting others areas of your life, you may need to switch your focus.

 Other examples of ‘approval addiction’

  • Not knowing what’s really important to you
  • Hesitating to speak up or over apologising for your views
  • Avoiding conflict.
  • People pleasing or submissive behaviour
  • Spending too much time on tasks that don’t matter to you
  • Being afraid to say No to requests from others
  • Seeking compliments
  • Overacting to insults
  • Caring too much about what others think of you
  • Shifting your values to appease others
  • Gossiping for attention and approval
  • Paying insincere compliments to others
  • Expressing agreement when you don’t truly feel it
  • Afraid to complain even when valid
  • Asking permission for things that don’t require it

Letting Go

What happens if these approval seeking tendencies aren’t addressed? Are you spending your entire life wasting your potential? And in addition placing effort on things that just aren’t really important. The good news is that changing these thought patterns is possible. The result being that you start placing more importance on your own wellbeing and values.

If you’d like more information or help with approval seeking behaviour please do get in touch.

Further Reading

Do You Worry Too Much What Others Think?

Fear of Authority Figures

People Pleaser Personality Traits

Alix Needham

My techniques guarantee that you remain in control at every session. These techniques, developed over 25 years, are so effective that many issues can be addressed in as little as three sessions and my location in the very heart of London means you can book sessions to work around work.

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