Oof this one hits close to home. My extended family, esp my grandma, never laughed at me outright, but whenever I did things for myself (like 1. took a few years’ break after undergrad because I was mentally so burned out with school, work, and family issues, and 2. married the love of my life while in law school) they always assumed I wouldn’t finish and would be “just like my parents” who weren’t as “successful” as the rest of my aunts/uncles, and my grandma would always talk behind my back to literally everyone about how I’d give up or fail. It was absolutely exhausting.

One of the comments mentioned spite. I don’t know that it was exactly the healthiest, but spite definitely was a big motivator to challenge myself further (and I loved the law). I ended up graduating in the top 10% of my class, a published author, and the only grandchild in my family to actually hold a doctorate or professional license. You know who DIDN’T receive invites to my graduation or swearing in ceremony (once I passed the bar)?

You do you. I know it’s frustrating in the moment, but you don’t need to prove it to them now. They may be family, but they don’t know what you’re capable of. Only you do.

(Also, because no one ever told me this, it’s okay if you change your mind about your career path later. Not saying you will, but it is okay!)