For the first few years after we are born, we spend most of our time simply learning how to live. We learn to do things like walking, talking, and asking for the things that we need. However, as we grow a little older, we begin to realise that life entails much more than just sleeping or eating. We discover abstract concepts such as death, love and happiness. More importantly, we find that the world around us is made up of many people just like us, who have their own routines, personalities, and desires. Then, just as we enter the period of adolescence, we notice that these people who live around us have the ability to perceive us and make judgments on who we are and the way we act.
After this point, we begin to desire social acceptance and we try to mould ourselves to fit into the general expectations of society. We listen to what those around us think about us and try to correct the flaws they observe. Generally, we learn to grow out of the need to shape ourselves to fit into the expectations of those around us. However, for some people, this changes the way in which they view themselves and can affect them for the rest of their lives. This is why we have taken to teaching young people to live the way they would like to and ignore what other people think and say of them. We show them that not caring how the world sees them can help them to focus on developing themselves in ways that matter. Although this method of thinking can be useful for young people to ignore negativity and not let harsh criticism affect their ability to function properly, we must reconsider whether it is helpful for them in the long run.