The good part about this thinking, for me, is that it forces me to articulate exactly what I love so much about my life, even though I know it won't make sense to my family, my high school friends, etc. The challenge is good because, while I want to be accepted, I'm too much of a contrarian to accept it on any false terms -- I want to find my niche properly, which means acknowledging how different it might be from what my dad would want from me, etc.

The bad part is that it can lead to the spiral of despair.

I feel you.