I remember that time I made a big decision in my life to quit my job to travel. I just knew back then where to go first, but after that, I didn't know what else to do. That was actually the point of my journey, to find out what I really wanted to do for the rest of my life that has nothing to do with settling down or having a family yet. It was nice to have some support or to listen to advice when you are about to make a life-changing decision, especially if those will come from people who are close to you, like your friends and family. But what if sometimes, their criticism influence your decisions greatly that you fail to live your life your own way? While they don't mean to do so, sometimes you become handicapped by their own judgments, and unknowingly grew up influenced by their opinions through ridicule or humor.

I grew up in an environment where people don't really travel, it is more of a privilege. At first, choosing this new lifestyle faced great criticism and objection from friends and relatives who never even traveled. I heard all this, I will never do something like that, you are crazy, it is dangerous, you should worry about savings when you get old, and you are too old to travel, you should have a family. And when I started sharing my travel pictures and writing my stories, surprisingly, everyone had become supportive. I appreciate their concern and advice but if I let my travel be based on the opinion of others, then I would probably never have traveled. I totally understand their own choices in life and definition of happiness, but my only mistake was expecting to be understood in return.

I was also single that time, so I didn't have to worry about ending a relationship, breaking up or bringing someone in my trip. It was nice to be totally in control of your own decisions, that finally, you are taking the courage to think for yourself. It is not something everyone can do, because that freedom to think for yourself can be too much of a burden. It turned out, everyone needs some kind of approval and that opinions can be the cheapest things in the world. Everyone has their own and it can be good to listen and apply whatever works for you, as you need some guiding light sometimes. However, you just have to watch out for those negative signs that will limit you from achieving your goals and desires. Because you might never know the real thoughts of those people around you, are they really happy for your decision and your success or do they want to just influence you in staying or becoming just like one of them? It does not even have to be about travel, it could be a new career or a business idea. Opinions should not require you to destroy your personal ambitions. You have the right to live your own life in your own way.

Fear of Criticism

Most of the time, your self-esteem is based on what other people think of you. If they approve your decisions, you feel great, but when they disapprove of you, you feel like crap. A lot of people stay in a life situation because they fear criticism, like what would other people think? You fail to set higher goals in life because of this fear that your friends and relatives will think you are crazy or too ambitious. It turned out, they have a lot of excuses for you. You should not live up to anyone's expectations nor they should live up to yours.

People will always have something to say anyway, so just do whatever you think is best for you. They sometimes just don't have any idea what it took you to get there. They act or talk like it was unearned, effortless or just pure dumb luck.

You will always have these negative suggestions and discouraging influences around you, and your desire for success should be stronger than your fear of criticism. You have a mind of your own, use it to reach your own decisions. It is your life to live.

What about you?

What was that big decision you made in your life?