Growing up in your 20’s is different than the generation before me. Many people in the previous generation followed a clear cut path from high school to a job in one field. My generation is a mix of one job, several jobs, going back for more education, working in a field different than their degree, not working all, etc.

I recently took two part-time jobs in a field that is wildly different than my TWO degrees in kinesiology (this is not a flex because in reality I’m in so much student debt). 😔

I find that some family members do not understand this generational “career path” and will sometimes give you the blunt and honest truth about what they think you should do.

Choosing a passion over the degree written on a $40,000 piece of paper can really stump certain people. And in fact, this decision recently got to my mother (until see took the time to understand why I decided to take this job despite my university degrees.)

Family can hold you to a higher standard than you hold yourself sometimes. Their opinions do not give you the room to confidently make a decision without receiving backlash or criticism for the choice you make. I find this more so with grandparents/aunts/uncles, and parents rather than my cousins. Cousins just get it for some reason. Maybe because they understand the challenge of finding a job in the current working world.

I understand the concern that family may have for financial stability, and the worry of failure. But many success stories seem to begin with “I moved to New York with nothing but my suitcase and $100 in my pocket.” And now BAM! they’re a billionaire! And EVERY success story contains at least one if not several failures.

Life is too short to be comfortable and sit in a position that doesn’t make you happy. 🙌🏽

Other people’s opinions of what THEY think YOU should do with YOUR life get said without question or hesitation. In my own life I have found these opinionated comments discouraging. It is hard to commit to something when your family does not support you 100%.

Please do not allow someone else’s opinion to change the adventure in your heart. ❤️ I want you to realize that sometimes, despite your fears, you may have to choose to go after your own gut decision even if it may go against a family member’s opinion.

Go after your dreams, in fact run after those dreams.

I have learned that life is too short to let your family criticism stay too long in your ear. Besides, once you’ve become successful in whatever it is that they may not understand right now, they’ll be proud of you once you get to the top and prove them otherwise.

– Liv ✌🏽

Photo by Nicholas Kampouris on Unsplash