"Last Thanksgiving, I found myself staring at my mashed potatoes while my family chatted around me, and despite being inches away from them, I felt miles apart. The loneliness was so thick I could almost touch it. For years, I blamed them. They didn't understand my career choices, they couldn't relate to my lifestyle, and they just didn't get me."
"This is the big one, isn't it? We spend so much energy curating the version of ourselves our families see. For me, it was always about appearing successful and put-together, especially after becoming the first in my immediate family to work in media. I'd share the highlight reel but never the blooper footage. What would they think if they knew about the rejected pitches? The nights I questioned everything? The times I felt like a complete fraud?"
An individual experiences deep loneliness while physically present with family during Thanksgiving. The isolation stemmed from withholding personal truths and fears rather than lack of familial understanding. Fear of judgment led to curating a successful, put-together persona and widening an authenticity gap, which intensified loneliness. Past family awareness of failures contrasts adult assumptions that current struggles cannot be handled. Career milestones, such as being first in the family working in media, prompted sharing highlights but hiding rejections, doubts, and impostor feelings. Expectations from family can also feel burdensome and contribute to continued distance.
Read at Silicon Canals
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