If you're of a certain age, you've probably noticed that young people – teenagers, especially – have a strong need for approval from others.

Young adults want to fit in and feel accepted, a natural desire that is part of our normal developmental process at this stage of life. Feeling that we belong helps us to grow and expand, and gives us the confidence to explore our world.

As we grow older, however, people can become unknowingly stuck at this developmental stage. And when this happens – life can get miserable pretty quick.

Left unchecked, we may never outgrow our desire for acceptance. In fact, this need may even increase, creating intense worry as we obsess over whether others like and approve of us. This can take many forms, but frequently shows up in our relationship with our weight and appearance.

When we continue to solicit outside approval into middle-age and beyond, we find ourselves unable to find the gifts that are available to us at this stage of life – gifts that are discovered when we defer to the one opinion that truly matters: our own.

When we reach our 40s and beyond, life is calling on us to once and for all love and value ourselves, to know our true beauty, and to stand in our power.

Sadly, in today's world, women especially have gotten the message that their value comes from their youthful appearance and slim figure. It can therefore be really hard to tune those messages out, and allow a deeper wisdom to come through.

These concepts are explored beautifully in this episode.

Maggie, 68, is a culinary and baking teacher who is so afraid of gaining weight that she won't eat her own cookies. She's fearful that gaining weight would almost certainly mean being rejected by others – even though she admits this has never happened to her before. Her caring husband and family have always loved and accepted her, no matter what.

Even so, Maggie has been dieting for 50 years – and continues to be caught in an internal weight loss conversation where her efforts are never enough, and where she doesn't feel good about herself, unless she has lost weight.

As you'll hear, Maggie's fear of rejection points her to an important realization, one that can forever change her relationship with herself and her body.

Episode highlights:

✅ How staying trapped in the need for "other" approval limits our potential and joy in life.

✅ How to take your personal power back from the collective voices around weight.

✅ Why the temporary high of reaching your goal weight doesn't last – and what really satisfies instead.

✅ Developing a daily practice to kick unwanted negative self-talk.

✅ And much more!

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Learn more about us at The Institute for the Psychology of Eating: https://psychologyofeating.com/

Ready to call a ceasefire in your battle with eating, and find peace and freedom with food? Learn more about our newest program, The Emotional Eating Breakthrough! https://learn.psychologyofeating.com/

Interested in becoming a certified coach in eating psychology? Then tune in to hear Marc talk about our Mind Body Eating Coach Certification Training, and download a copy of our School Catalog: https://psychologyofeating.com/info-kit/ Learn our powerful, cutting-edge approach, and discover how you can create a unique career helping others find peace and freedom with food.

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