Above all, we want to be seen and validated. Many of us were not fully (or sometimes never) seen and validated growing up – this can be on a familial level or on systemic, societal and cultural levels. To be seen by others is crucial at all ages and stages of our lives in order to develop a sense of self.
Before there were mirrors, there were people in our communities who reflected back to us who and what they saw. To be mirrored gives a realness and a boundary to our experience. Without mirrors, we constantly seek that definition of who we are.
When we are seen and validated, it brings a sense of ease within ourselves, and through that ease, we build capacity for empathy and for doing tough things. The more people who are seen and validated, the better chance this world has to be saved.
