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hornish_pixies

My parents call me a disappointment even when I do everything I possibly can

People

Long rant, sorry

I'm 22F, all my life my parents have put me in numerous extra curriculars and pushed me to the brim just to tell everybody else how special I was to excel academics, extracurriculars and sports. Being a kid, all that validation did was turn me into a people pleaser who wanted to hold on to all that appreciation while being blasted at home for not trying hard enough even when I did. I was special, at least that's what I thought I was. I quit most extracurriculars except classic dance and painting maybe because I actually liked it for a while. But then my teacher became super emotionally abusive and manipulative and he would scream at me for very very minor things and I felt like I was walking on glass whenever I went to dance class. My parents called this "normal" for a teacher to be mad at a student. And let me tell you, this broke me and ruined something I absolutely loved. I didn't wanna dance anymore at least not for people. My teacher also like my parents thought I was special and had great hopes where at one point he wanted me to have solo performances and go pro, which my parents also did. I practiced through burnouts, nothing stopped me I'd be dancing and there'd be tears streaming down my eyes. It got so toxic to one point I had a breakdown and for once my parents and my teacher understood and let me take a break. Cut to now, I completed my masters and I got a job at a mid-level analytics firm. Every rejection, every little thing I fail at takes a huge toll on me and I get depressed. My parents constantly mention how they put in so much effort and I'm a disappointment for quitting so brutally without ever thinking about their feelings and dreams, usual stuff. I still paint but somehow that isn't good enough for them and it's always about dance. It does bother me but I've learned to survive it. But last night this came up again and they said "Anybody have do academics and get a job, only special people can pursue an art, which you clearly are not", and I've been crying my eyes out since cuz I don't even know who I am or what I'm supposed to do and after spending years feeding off validation this feels like a hole in the chest. I have never completely shared this with everyone cuz nobody could possibly understand and what's even the point. Maybe that kid wanted was to be special and gufted and that's what my family wanted from me too. I just didn't realise I didn't have another choice.

Posted Jun 15, 2025, 2:52 AM UTC

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