“I’m old enough to make my own decisions, so why do I still feel like I’m doing something wrong whenever my parents disagree?”

You have a job, an income, and a life of your own.
Yet whenever you consider changing careers, marrying someone you love, moving to another city, or choosing a life that doesn’t match your family’s expectations, a familiar doubt may come up:
“What if my parents don’t approve?”
“Am I disappointing them?”
“Maybe I should choose the safer option instead.”
As we grow up, we often develop beliefs about what it means to be a “good child.”
For some people, making their parents happy gradually becomes tied to feeling worthy, loved, or accepted.
As a result, making decisions for themselves can come with a sense of guilt, even when there is nothing wrong with the choice they are making.
Growing up doesn’t mean you stop caring about your parents.
But it also doesn’t mean every decision about your life needs their approval.
A mature relationship with our family can begin when we learn to do both:
love our family, while also taking responsibility for our own life.