One of the difficult challenges to deal with being on a self-discovery journey is that you might need to go on the journey alone. Your family, friends, and even your spouse might choose to not want to accept that you’re trying to change.

They might treat you the same way and could even give you a difficult time for wanting to change.

You might need to deal with being ridiculed, mocked, or even baited into an argument. I’ve encountered some of these challenges along the way and it’s not easy to overcome. When the people that you love aren’t willing to accept you changing, the road ahead might be lonely.

The choices you have ahead are clear: Either your friends and family come around in time, or you will need to build a new support network.

On my journey, I’ve found that there was a mix between the two extremes. Some family members (those who truly cared for me) were willing to accept my changing and I made new friends who became like family to me.

If you limit yourself to what you know, then the road ahead might be extremely difficult for you. If your family is not accepting your desire to change, carrying that burden can be hard.

I learned a long time ago that family can be defined as those you are related to by blood, but you can also build an extended family with new friends. The people who have stayed in my life are those who love me for who I truly am and not what I can do for them.

When you start out on your journey, there is no way to know where you will end up. If there are several people who abuse alcohol or drugs in your family, you might need to distance yourself from them and their dysfunctional behavior. That might be a difficult choice to make and one that you might not have the strength to do in the beginning.

But once you set boundaries and choose not to be taken advantage of, you might find that certain family members might distance themselves from you. If they can’t get from you what they want, they might abandon you.

The good news is that you have a choice to surround yourself with people who truly love and care for you. The people who stay in your life are the ones who are worthy of your life. When you flip the power dynamic, a lot will change in your life. Instead of desperately wanting love and friendship, you have the power to choose who to love.

In the beginning, the challenge might be hard, but time and understanding can help you. Some friends and family will embrace your change while others will cast you off.

The question to ask yourself is: Do you really want to keep the people who make you feel bad in your life?

When you choose to spend your time with people who truly care for you, new doors will open in your life.

Is it hard in the beginning? Yes, it can be.

Take the time you need to figure out what you want and who you choose to keep in your life. Those who try to put a guilt trip on you or want to manipulate you aren’t worth your time. Back off and spend your energy elsewhere.

Like what you’ve read? Be sure to check out my other posts in my Let Go and Be Free blog.