It doesn’t matter who you are - success or failure, moral or corrupt, learned or ignorant - you would always be judged unfairly.

You think if you exercise and be fitter; the eyes that judge you for your inactive lifestyle will appreciate you. But in reality, the same eyes will now judge you for over exerting yourself or being too focused on fitness, ignoring your work and family.

You think if you spend more time with your children; the eyes that judge you for being an absent parent will recognise you as a good one. But in reality, the same eyes will accuse you of over-parenting or being too involved in the child’s life.

No matter what you do, those eyes will always find narratives to validate their criticism. So, the time and energy you spend shaping your life’s choices for recognition and validation from others is a pointless pursuit. Instead, build a life that’s aligned with your personality, values, and wishes.

If that entails leaving a high-paying job at 45 to chase a buried dream of becoming an actor, or abandoning a writing career after years of trying to join an intern position in a publishing house, pursue it without the fear of ‘what would people say?’. If you want to walk out of a long-term relationship or tie the knot at 70; if you want to remain childless or parent 5 children; listen to your heart and not society’s opinions.

The friends you keep, the work you do, and the choices you make should be deliberate, intentional, and aligned with who you are and how you want to live.

The ones who understand, accept and live this truth, do what feels right to them, without a worry about what looks weird to the world. They dance when they feel like, they cry when they need to, they sleep when they want to and they love who they want to.

They don’t engage in small talk or share their plans and opinions with others, as they view social settings as avenues to seek validation and praise from others. They live free of social bonds as they have no need for society’s approval. They live a blissful life of solitude driven by meaning and purpose.