There is a difference between caring what others think and wanting validation. It is the longing for others to validate you that is the trap. Life becomes better the day you stop seeking the validation of others. Ask yourself the really big question: why am I here? A purpose driven life goes beyond defining the world in terms of me. It is the call of the “we,” the people who say “I know why you are here,” that adds meaning to our lives. I matter to somebody not everybody. Go find your “somebodies,” your tribe, the people who love the right now you, and live.

This is the note I would have written to my 30-year old self.