I know how hard it is to hold on to everything - to feel like you have to control everything or know exactly what you want to do with your future... To stay calm when things fall apart, to be happy when things go right.

I know that feeling.

You feel like you have to make everyone else happy whether that be your parents, friends, a boyfriend... Anyone before yourself. I can see you’re trying so hard to please everyone, even if you can’t. Some people, no matter how hard and how often you try, you can’t seem to make them happy with your decisions. I know that you’re trying so you don’t disappoint anyone because disappointing anyone means you “didn’t do your job.” But, you can’t make everyone else happy. The most important thing in life is that you are happy.

I know that feeling because I’m the same way.

I do my best to make my parents happy and proud of me. It’s even harder to do that when you’re parents aren’t together and have different opinions on what you should do. I know this feeling all too well. I know the feeling of making decisions to make them happy vs. you. But, I can promise you that no matter what your decision is, your parents will be proud of you and no matter what you choose, I promise you they will love and support you.

I know that sometimes you get so stressed out trying to make a decision.

You’ll want to scream and cry; anything to make you feel better. You are left wondering if you made the right decision or not. You wonder what your parents will think and if they’ll support the decision or not. I know exactly how hard that can be.

We are all human and we can only take so much until we reach our breaking point and then just lose it and we snap.

Please listen: you are only a human and we do make mistakes.

Your parents won’t hate you or not support you because you made a mistake in their eyes. It is your life and you are the one in charge. Your parents just want you happy and to not live the same way they did. They’re doing what they feel is best for you. You guys won’t always see everything eye-to-eye, but they will support you through your journey.

Whether your parents are together or separate, you just want to make them proud.

It’s hard when parents had a vision from you that’s different from each other and what you want. My dad wanted me to do nursing and my mom wanted me to do art in my future. I decided to do Business Administration as my major and both my parents are happy for me and are supporting me while I learn my way into adult life. They’re helping me with decisions on classes to take or events to go to that would up my profile - even jobs to do that would look good on my resume.

Both of my parents just want the best for me and to make myself happy.

It took a long time to learn this, but now I’m so happy that I’m doing a career that I want to do and that I’ll enjoy for the rest of my life. I’m thankful for my parents for helping me and keeping me on track. Without their opinions and their support, I’m not sure I’d know what I want to focus on in college or my future job. So, don’t stress about trying to please your parents, talk to them and tell them what it is you want to do and what will make you happy. They’ll understand because they had a vision for themselves growing up too. Overall parents just want you safe, healthy, and happy.

We just all have to learn that.