The "spotlight effect" makes us edit our lives for an audience that isn't even watching.

Wearing a persona is necessary for survival, but dangerous if our true self suffocates.

The top regret of the dying is lacking the courage to live a life true to themselves.

Do you want to know a secret? Most of us live lives that are remarkably similar to those of superstars.

As a psychologist working in Newport Beach, California, I have had the privilege of working with some highly successful people who live their lives completely in the public eye. For these "superstars," the public is intensely curious and constantly commenting on how their lives are going. I remember working with one public figure who had put on some excess weight while on a reality show. Social media viciously berated her for it, and the scrutiny was incredibly painful to endure. We all know that people in the public eye are often heavily judged, and the commentary can be ruthless.

But here is the part that might surprise you: Your life is not actually that different from theirs.

We may not have people commenting on our daily choices in People magazine, but we absolutely possess an "invisible audience" that heavily impacts our decisions. This invisible audience dictates the clothes we wear, the career choices we make, and........

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