HOW TO HANDLE PARENTAL PRESSURE AND YOUR CHOICE OF CAREER
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“People have a much greater chance of finding something they’ll enjoy doing and making those greatest contributions when they trust themselves and are free to make their own life choices (are not marionettes in the hands of their parents).”
-Lukasz Laniecki
Out of the many stressful situations that life throws at us, choosing right career option can be the most daunting one. Parents’ incessant influence in every step we take and in each decision we make, only adds on to the dilemma. Life is like riding a bicycle. To be able to reach the destination, you need to learn how to balance it right. The same formula holds right for a career. A properly planned career is essential in laying the strong fundamental for a contented life.
The first step and major challenge of excelling in the field of your choice is to literally make your parents understand your decision and doing that could be quite a struggle. The art of listening to your gut to keep going irrespective of naysayers is something everybody needs to master. Here’s how to handle your future plans with that of your parent’s expectations:
• Demonstrate your parents as to how passionate you are about your area of interest. If you like and are devoted to doing things you like then they will really appreciate it. Talk about your interests, share your dreams, and show your parents how happy your interests make you. Heart of the matter with parents is that they always, always want you to be happy.
• Getting to understand the essence of why your parents oppose to your choices could help you calm your feelings about their displeasure. So, question them. Your parents’ obstruction to your career can appear to be less spiteful when you know their frame of mind.
• Try to understand their viewpoint. While you might think you know better, there is no wrong in listening to what they have to say. Your consideration of their position comes from engaging a conversation, asking questions and sharing stories. Try to have empathy for your parents and yourself.
• Allow yourself to know that they may never comprehend you and your decisions. We all yearn to be acknowledged, but part of growing up is learning that you will be misunderstood at times and realizing that your parents’ concerns have more to do with them that with you, it’s their beliefs and perceptions that they propose to you.
• Don’t let their disfavor set you off guard. Don’t let your parents’ opinion about your choice of career affect your dreams. Before anybody else, you need to prove to yourself about the things you want and then, go ahead and fight for it.
• Meet them midway. After knowing what you want and understanding what your parents expect from you, try to see if there is a way to manage and do both.
• Be grateful to your parents. They may not understand you for a lot of reasons but they play a great role in making you the person you ought to become.
• Last, but not the least, be the “best friend” for your parents. Speak and pour out your hearts onto them, so will they. This solves maximum of the issues before hand only, so mutually discuss the plans you all have in for your future; let your parents know that you are concerned about them, doing this, won’t feel their decision as burden to you, nor they feel that you defy them
Once your parents see you succeed, nobody will be as proud as them. So, for now, you can’t just sit and wait for your parents or loved ones to give you a nod to pursue your dreams. You got to be prepared for all kind of impediments. Be willing to take risks. Fight for what you want. Fight really hard. And remember, “There is no passion to be found playing small- in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”
