We all want the support of our friends and family when we choose a new path in life, but at what point do you stop listening to what others have to say about your life and just listen solely to what your own heart wants? Everyone has some kind of idea about how their own life and the lives of those around them will play out, and when you do something that contradicts that assumed path, people tend to try to tell you why it won’t work out/why it’s not a good fit for you/why you’ll fail. It can be difficult to tune out that negativity, but sometimes you just have to take a chance and do the things that make you happy, despite the naysayers.
- It’s YOUR life; you should live it how you see fit. Are people telling you that you should get a “real job” instead of “just working at a pizza place” to pay your bills? They need to shut the hell up. They probably don’t even realize that it took a really long time to find that job (considering that 40% of the unemployed population is comprised of millennials) or that you like the flexible schedule so you can work find time to work on your novel when you’re not serving up pies. The decisions we make are based on our own experiences and needs, and sometimes other people don’t understand that.
- Only you know what’s best for you. People can think they know everything that goes on in your life, but only YOU have experienced every part of it first hand. You’re the only one who will understand exactly why you choose to make certain decisions. Trust yourself. No one knows you better than you.
- Living your life based on what others think will only hold you back. If your mom’s dream for you involved you going to medical school just like her, but the sight of blood makes you squeamish, it’s probably not the best path for you. You’d most likely be miserable and on top of that, what if it squashed your dream of being a head chef at a fancy, upscale Italian restaurant? The thought of someone else’s plan for you blocking my taste buds from experiencing a plate of the best damn baked ziti the world has ever seen makes me very sad.
- Everyone has a different perception of who you are and what you need. So your mom wants you to be the most gifted surgeon of all time, your best friend thinks you should drop everything and backpack through Europe like you’ve always wanted to because she knows it would make you happy but has no idea that you’re broke as all hell, and your partner thinks you should take that management job at work that you secretly have no interest in because he knows exactly how broke you are. But what do YOU want? Everyone has their own perception of you and you life but in the end, the only one that matters is your own.
- You have to live with the results of your actions; they don’t. In the end, you have to do what makes you happy. So what if it’s not the path that someone else laid out for you in their mind?
- You can’t please everyone. No matter what choices you make, somewhere, someone will still be a bitter, snarky jerk about them. You might as well be content with your decisions while having to deal with their snide comments.
- If you’re not taking chances, you’re not making any real strides. If someone is holding you back from taking the risks you want to take, you’re probably staying pretty stagnant in your life. You have to put yourself out there in order to accomplish really great things.
- Being desperate for other people’s approval isn’t doing your mental health any favors. You will make yourself insane trying to please everyone. Save yourself the stress and do what you know in your heart is best for you.
