Attention Seeking
Exploring the Need to Be Seen, Noticed, and Validated
The need to be seen, heard, included, or reassured is a human need, not a reason for shame. The phrase attention seeking can hide many different experiences, from wanting connection to using strategies that no longer feel honest or supportive. This worksheet helps you identify what kind of attention you want, what feeling sits beneath it, and how to seek recognition in ways that align with your values.
Before acting on the urge to be noticed, name the underlying need as specifically as possible
I see and validate myself first. I don’t need to be noticed to be worthy.
- 1
When do I most often seek attention, and what am I hoping to feel in that.
- 2
What emotions or feelings come up when I don’t receive the attention or validation I want?
- 3
Where did I learn that being seen or noticed meant I was important, loved, or worthy?
- 4
How do I express myself when I’m seeking attention versus when I’m being authentically me?
- 5
What might it look like to meet my own need for recognition, connection, or validation in.
What part of me is hungry to be seen, and what is it really asking for?