Stop Seeking Approval: The Art of Not Giving a Damn

Written by

Janis Todd-Randall, BA, MA, EMBA

Stupidbubble Founder

 

You’re about to choose the outfit, post the art, speak the truth—and your brain whispers, “But what will they think?” That’s not caution. That’s captivity.

Burst the bubble: Living for applause is a race with no finish line. Exhausting. Pointless. Not for you.

We learned early that approval = safety. Be likable. Be agreeable. Be small. Here’s the memo we didn’t get: you can be loved and still be loud, specific, and unfittable. Not everyone will choose you—and that’s the filter doing its job.

Want out of the approval trap? Start here.

• You’re not for everyone. You could be the juiciest peach; some folks hate peaches. Bless and release.
• Shut down the inner heckler. Ask: “Is this fear protecting me—or shrinking me?” Nine times out of ten, it’s shrink-wrap.
• Tiny rebellions daily. Wear the loud thing. Say the clean “no.” Share the real thought. Confidence is compounding interest.
• Redefine winning. New metric: Did I act in alignment? If yes, that’s success—numbers or not.
• Make “weird” your weapon. Your specificity is the brand. Generic never changes a room.

Life Lesson

Choose alignment over approval. If it costs your self-respect, it’s too expensive—no matter how many likes it gets.

The Stupidbubble Boldness Play (1-week)

• Day 1: Write a one-sentence personal code (what you stand for / won’t do).
• Daily: One 10-second brave act (ask, publish, decline, wear, pitch).
• Social rule: Post value, not validation. Close the app for an hour after.
• Boundary script: “Thanks for thinking of me. That’s not a fit for me right now.”
• Friday audit: Where did I self-shrink? Where did I self-honor? Adjust next week’s reps.

Everybody has a stupidbubble. Some stay trapped. Some break it. We turn ours into power.

Bottom line: Approval is rented. Alignment is owned. Live like it’s yours.

Ready to practice bold on purpose? 

FREE! Turn minutes into momentum. Get The Awakening Part One — Audiobook + Manifesto. Press Play or Download Audiobook. Listen and Speak the Manifesto daily for 7 days. Watch your focus sharpen.

Drop a comment below and tell us: What’s your first step toward not giving a damn? Let’s inspire each other to burst the approval bubble and live unapologetically. 

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