Let’s start with a confession: I used to care what you thought of me.
I’d replay conversations like broken records. “Did I sound stupid?” “Was my laugh too loud?” “Do they think I’m a fraud?” I’d mold myself into shapes I thought you’d approve of—smaller, quieter, safer.
Then one night, a drunk friend gripped my arm, slurring, “Don’t judge me!”—her eyes wild with fear. And it hit me: We’re all terrified of the same ghost: your opinion.
But here’s the raw truth: Judgment only stings when you’re begging for permission to exist.
The Lie We’ve Been Sold
Society tells us happiness lives in two places:
- Other people’s praise (the drug)
- Bottles, pills, or powders (the escape)
But both are traps.
Chasing validation is like drinking saltwater—it leaves you thirstier. And numbing yourself? That’s just outsourcing your power. I’ve seen it: The more we rely on substances to feel “good,” the less we trust our innate capacity for joy.
Here’s the uncomfortable secret: Your body is the universe’s most sophisticated chemical factory(Yes! I Mean It). You don’t need a pill to feel alive. You need to stop letting strangers run the lab.
The Day I Stopped Asking for Permission
Years ago, I realized something radical: No one’s opinion of me could change my heartbeat.
Not the coworker who called me “too much.”
Not the lover who said I “wasn’t enough.”
Not even the mirror on my worst days.
Why? Because I quit handing out remote controls to my peace.
You want to judge my laugh? My choices? My messy hair? Go ahead. But here’s the deal: Your words only shape my life if I rent you space in my mind. And I’ve evicted all tenants.
How to Be “Stoned” on Your Own Supply
- Become Your Own Chemist
Your body can brew joy, calm, and ecstasy—no lab required. Start by sitting still for 5 minutes daily. Breathe. Notice how your chest rises without your effort. That’s power. You’re already a miracle. Act like one. - Let Opinions Bounce, Not Stick
Imagine judgments as raindrops. You wouldn’t scream, “This rain hates my outfit!” So why do it with words? Let praise and criticism slide off like water. They’re weather—not warnings. - Burn the Manual
We’re taught to live by invisible rules: Be likable. Be normal. Don’t rock the boat. But “normal” built a world where 70% of people need pills to function. Rock the damn boat.
The Drunk Truth We All Need
That friend of mine? When sober, she admitted: “I’m not scared you’ll judge me. I’m scared I’ll judge myself.”
Bingo.
Fear of judgment isn’t about them—it’s about the war inside you. The voice whispering: “You’re not worthy unless they say so.” Here’s how to silence it:
- Talk back. Next time fear says, “They’ll think you’re __,” reply: “And? Does their thought pay my rent?”
- Dance with paradox. You could be wrong. You could mess up. So what? Even the sun burns while shining.
- Outweird them. Wear the odd hat. Sing off-key. Laugh like a hyena. Let their stares remind you: You’re alive.
The Invitation (No Substances Required)
You weren’t born to tiptoe through life, begging: “Do I have your approval yet?”
You were born to roar. To stumble. To glow. To fail gloriously and rise laughing.
So here’s your challenge:
- Do one thing today that’s “too much”—and refuse to apologize.
- Compliment yourself out loud. (Yes, in the mirror. It’s cheesy. Do it anyway.)
- Thank someone for judging you. They’ve shown you where their chains are.
Remember: Judgment is just noise. But your inner silence? That’s where freedom lives.
You don’t need heaven’s approval. You are the damn miracle.
Now go prove it.