The path of social validation doesn’t end for most of us at a young age. In fact, it typically continues into late adulthood. We want to ensure our thought patterns are aligned with those whose opinions we know and trust, after all, we’re not sociopaths! When it comes to our feelings on what’s fulfilling in our own lives, it’s nice to test the social gauge of whether we’ve set the right expectations. But what if the way that our peers drives meaning in their lives doesn’t jive with what feels right? We can find ourselves in a position where we’re frequently justifying our decisions a bit more frequently than we’d like. And the thought arises, “Am I selling myself short?” The shapes of fulfilling and meaningful lives are as varied as the people who are living them. It doesn’t make sense to use your peers as a litmus test, as their needs are not your own. While it’s wise to seek input from various sources for pretty much everything in life, we need to look inward to know how we want to shape our own. As far as we know, we have one chance at this, and it would be a pity to waste it living up to someone else’s dreams. You have one life to live, make it count. Work with a Marengo coach to uncover your true passions and live your best life.