Why are you looking at people for approval? Why are you afraid of their criticism? What can they give you in either case? Don’t you know that there is nothing valuable to be gained from outside of you? Don’t you know that the source of all peace, joy, and love reside in you? Don’t you know that all men of wisdom have searched only inside and not outside? Then, what are you seeking outside? From people? From their approval?
Don’t you know they are also beggars? Are you begging from beggars? Why not beg from the emperor of all emperors? Why not turn inward? Why not be detached from what people think and their criticism and praise? But you wish to keep their praise and push away their criticism, ignoring the reality that both of them are faces of the same coin. How can you push it away while holding onto it?