Remember how once at school we wrote various papers, homework and received grades for it. Excellent, good, satisfactory, unsatisfactory - this is how the teacher assessed our modest work. And he did this for a reason, pointing his finger at the sky, but comparing our work with certain criteria, standards, his understanding of what kind of work it should be. We also evaluate ourselves in life, we rate ourselves according to various criteria that are significant to us : appearance, character traits, actions, skills and abilities, knowledge, opinions of others about us, financial situation, social status, etc. This is called self-esteem. We evaluate our life in accordance with our expectations and ideas. In accordance with your understanding of what it should be. We rate our life: excellent, good, good, not satisfied with life. What are these criteria by which we evaluate our life? These are our needs, our desires. And we are happy or suffer, good or bad for us depends on whether they are satisfied or not. If we feel good, then we live in accordance with our “inner self”, in accordance with our true needs, desires, values. But this does not always happen. Often people do not live their lives, not their desires, desires imposed by someone else and accepted as their own. And these imposed desires cripple life, because instead of living in one’s own interests, life is spent satisfying someone else’s “wants.” This is the price to pay for life in society. It is always more beneficial for society and the environment that we are more convenient for them, and not for ourselves. Since childhood, we are taught not to hear ourselves, but to focus on the interests of others. Therefore, there is often a feeling that you are living somehow differently, not as you would like, not as you would be happy. But now, as adults, you can begin to listen to yourself, begin to understand yourself, develop what is called awareness. You can understand your true, real needs and desires. Understand, realize and be happy, be satisfied with your life.