I have this same thing! I think I've slowly been working on this...

I went to a counselor my last year of university. She noted that I seem to need validation for everything that I did. I thought, up until that point, that I was a fiercely independent person... and I think I was. It was just in some areas of my life.. I always needed approval. Like I needed to check that it was okay that this or that thing was my opinion. That it was okay to have an opinion. Weird... I know.

Anyways. I think the way to get rid of approval seeking is to realize your self-worth. You are you - you were put here to be you. If everyone on this planet was meant to be the same, then we all wouldn't have turned out differently. You have your own perspective for a reason. You have something unique to contribute! As long as it makes you happy, you shouldn't give a damn about what other people think about it. (Unless you're a psychopath... but there are ways to cope with that too... Dexter anybody? JK!!)

But seriously. I guess... it's just.. figuring out who you are and having self-respect and self-compassion enough to know that what you think is good enough.