All of us suffer from varying degrees of insecurity, anxiety and uncertainty. Those who don't are either fully-functioning narcissists or have somehow managed to transcend to some alternate plane that the vast majority of us will never reach. Yet, despite this collective experience, we have a tendency to assume that we are the only ones who are insecure, anxious and uncertain. To ease our suffering, we look for validation from friends, loved ones and complete strangers. Something simple that each of us can do to ease the suffering of those around us is to stop asking for validation and instead start giving. It should never feel phoned in and it should never feel inauthentic. However, it's worth remembering that if you're feeling insecure in a room, there is a good chance other people are too. Instead of worrying about what they're thinking of you, recognize they're worried about what you think of them. Walk up to them and extend a hand.