When the World Doesn’t Get Your Path

Have you had that sinking feeling when you realise, yet again, you're in a room full of people who just don’t understand your choices?

Maybe we’re the only one without a ‘real’ job. Maybe we’re prioritising our mental health while everyone else is racing towards marriage, mortgages, and promotions. Maybe we’re still living with our parents, scraping by while we chase a dream, and the judgement in their eyes burns like a silent accusation.

It’s exhausting. The whispers, the unsolicited advice, the way people seem to pick apart our lives like we’re some kind of puzzle that doesn’t quite fit. It makes us question ourselves. Should we just take the safer route, the one that gets the nod of approval? Are we making a huge mistake? Should we just sacrifice our wellbeing for more money, a bigger house, that picture perfect, totally "regular " life.

For some of us, this isn’t new. Somehow, we seem to regularly end up in situations where we’re taken advantage of—where we give too much and receive too little. We’ve had to walk away from toxic workplaces, friendships, and relationships, for the sake of our own well-being, only to be met with disbelief and blame. Stand up for ourselves? We’re ‘difficult.’ Choose a different path? We’re ‘lost.’

But here’s what we need to remember: just because others don’t understand our journey doesn’t mean it’s wrong!

How Do We Cope?

1. Find the People Who Get It

Not everyone will understand our choices, and that’s okay. But we don’t have to go through this alone. Somewhere out there, there are people who get it—the fellow dreamers, the ones prioritising their well-being, the ones who’ve also chosen the unconventional road. Finding them takes effort, whether that’s through online communities, creative meetups, or reconnecting with old friends who share our mindset. But when we do? It reminds us we’re not strange or broken for wanting something different.

2. Set Boundaries Without Guilt

We don’t owe anyone an explanation for why we’re doing what we’re doing. If someone’s criticism is weighing us down, we have every right to step back from that conversation—or that person. A simple, “I appreciate your concern, but I’m happy with my choices,” is enough. And let’s stop looking for approval from people who will never give it. Their disapproval? It says more about them than it does about us.

3. Trust Ourselves

Self-doubt creeps in when we’re surrounded by judgement, but at the end of the day, we’re the ones who have to live our lives—not them. We know what’s right for us. And if we mess up? That’s part of the process. No one else has to approve of our journey. Trusting ourselves means giving ourselves permission to take risks, to fail, to try again. Every step forward, no matter how unconventional, is still progress.

Their judgement isn’t a reflection of our worth—it’s a reflection of their own fears, expectations, and limited perspective.

4. Remember That Growth Looks Different for Everyone

Success isn’t a one-size-fits-all thing. It’s not always about climbing the corporate ladder or ticking off traditional milestones. Sometimes, it’s about healing. Learning to love ourselves. Choosing peace over pressure. The world tells us that stability and security are the ultimate goals, but what if, for us, success looks like waking up without anxiety? Working on something we love? Feeling at home in our own skin? That matters just as much—if not more—than a promotion or a wedding ring.

5. Celebrate the Little Wins

When we’re surrounded by people who don’t understand our path, it’s easy to feel like we’re falling behind. But we’re not. We’re just measuring success differently. So let’s celebrate the small victories—the days when we feel a little lighter, the projects we finish, the moments we choose rest over burnout. Every little win adds up, and we deserve to acknowledge how far we’ve come.

6. Keep Moving Forward

When the weight of judgement feels too heavy, we have to remind ourselves: We don’t have to prove anything to anyone. Our path is ours alone, and it is valid, even if the world doesn’t get it. The fear of being misunderstood will always be there, but it doesn’t have to stop us. We have dreams worth chasing, well-being worth prioritising, and a life worth living on our own terms.

So let them talk. Let them misunderstand. And let’s keep choosing the life that makes sense to us—no matter how long it takes, no matter how many times we have to start over. We’re allowed to live in a way that feels right. And that? That’s something no one can take away from us.