"Friends come and go, but family is always there.” We grew up hearing this saying. When we would fight with our friends or unfriendly someone, our parents would often say this. Who knew that as you grew up however, that your family would also follow in your old friends footsteps and leave? Some families support their children's decisions and are with them every step of the way, but other families just make it so hard for you to be with who you love.

They are constantly putting your significant other down and don't support any growth in your relationship with them. Then when it comes down to spending the rest of your life with that person, you have to make a hard decision. Do you want to be happy and spend the rest of your life with the person you love, or do you want to make your family happy and just keep looking for someone they approve of and make them happy over yourself? I believe making yourself happy is more important than making your family happy when it comes to who you're going to spend the rest of your life with. When you get married, you're starting your very own family. Your family did their part, now it's your turn to start over on your own.

My family doesn't like my fiancé. I'm not completely sure why, but they just hate him. I think it may be because they don't want me to grow up, but I have to sometime and I chose to do it now. When my fiancé asked me to marry him, I had to make a decision. Do I just do what my family says and find someone else? Or do I follow my heart and be happy and grow with him? I chose my fiancé over my family. My happiness was more important than theirs. If they truly loved me they would support me every step of the way.

Since my engagement, things haven't been the easiest. My dad has left the picture. We hardly speak because all he did was bad mouth my fiancé. My grandma isn't too thrilled and likes to point out different guys. My mom on the other hand has been very supportive through everything and we've grown so much closer. I guess you win some, you lose some. I lost my dad, but I gained a stronger relationship with my mom and I get to marry my best friend. In my case, the old saying includes my family, but my happiness is important to me. It's not their life, it's mine.

Yeah, family is important, but so is being happy. Your family is supposed to raise you well enough for you to make your own decisions and start your own family, not hold onto you by a thread and make you feel miserable. If you move out and you're making it on your own, your family did their job. For 18-20 years your family is supposed to to raise you to be responsible and teach you the skills you'll need to know in the real world, like morals, money management, housework, etc.

After you move out on your own, it's your turn to put all of those skills to the test. Sure you might hit a couple bumps in the road, but that's a part of growing up and "adulting." If you can get through all the obstacles life throws at you, you're right on track. Your family can either support you and cheer you on or they can just put you down, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. You've got this! Go out and see the world!

Don't let anyone, not even your family, hold you back from your dreams. If your family isn't there to support you are they really your family? Your happiness is one of the most important things in your life, it doesn't make you selfish to put your happiness in front of others, it gives you the confidence and will to go on. Just go out, do you and be happy! Live life to the fullest!