Skeptical Family? Here’s How We Got Them to Support Our Travel Dream

“Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.”
– Suzy Kassem

When we first told our family about the long-term journey we were planning, it was like dropping a bomb. The reactions came pouring in:

• It’s too dangerous!
• Too expensive!
• Think about the kids. What about school, soccer, their friends?
• You can’t afford this!

We knew some would be skeptical, but it felt like we were fighting a battle on all fronts. We were in the middle of a storm. Everyone had strong opinions about how we should live our lives. We tried to explain that this was something we truly wanted, but no matter what we said, more worries and warnings kept coming. And anger. A lot of anger.

Choosing Your Dream—Even When Others Doubt

Deciding to uproot your life and leave everything familiar behind is not an easy choice. Your brain is already working overtime to handle all the uncertainty.
Do we have enough money?
What if someone gets sick?
Will the kids be happy?
What if we regret it?
If we do, we won’t even have a home to go back to!

These thoughts spin in your head, day and night, when you step out of your comfort zone into the unknown.

The last thing you need at that moment is for the people who have always been your backbone—the ones who lifted you up when you doubted yourself before—to be the ones bringing you down. When your biggest supporters suddenly become the ones who doubt you the most, it feels like your foundation is cracking. Instead of encouraging voices saying, “You’ve got this!” you’re met with skeptical looks, warnings, and in the worst case, anger.

Every worry they express reinforces your own doubts. Every critical comment makes you question something you’ve already spent months, maybe years, thinking through.

It became a test of our willpower—to stand firm in our decision when the people we loved most didn’t believe in it. To keep packing up our house and planning our journey while carrying the weight of their doubt on our shoulders.

There’s a particular kind of pain in feeling like you’re letting them down while knowing that you can’t let yourself down. Because what’s the alternative? To stay, just to make everyone else happy—and risk spending the rest of your life wondering what could have been?

Behind the Criticism Was Care

But over time, we realized that all the resistance wasn’t about them wanting to crush our dream. They weren’t being harsh because they wanted to hurt us or hold us back. They were harsh because they cared. Because they loved us.

Every critical comment, every worried frown, every warning—it all came from a place of concern. They needed to know that we weren’t acting on impulse, that we had thought through the consequences. That we had control.

When someone you love makes a choice that feels big and risky, fear is a natural reaction. And fear often comes out as criticism. They didn’t just see the adventure and freedom we were dreaming of—they saw the dangers we might be underestimating, the challenges we would face, the homesickness we would feel.

They wanted to be sure we were strong enough. That we were ready.
They weren’t testing us to stop us—they were testing us to make sure we would succeed.

From Resistance to Support—When Our Family Changed Their Minds

Somewhere in early 2024, things started to shift. The idea of our trip had matured—not just in our own minds, but in the minds of our family as well. They had time to ask questions, dig into the details, and challenge our plans from every angle.

And in the end, they realized something important: This wasn’t just a fleeting fantasy—we were serious. We had control, we were prepared, and nothing they said or did would stop us.

That’s when everything changed.

Dad Became Our Biggest Supporter

It might not have surprised those who knew him, but for us, it felt like a turning point. He wasn’t the loudest in the beginning, but he watched. He saw how determined we were.

He saw us sacrificing luxury, calculating every expense, and spending countless hours renovating our house and apartment to make this possible. He understood that this wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment dream—it was a carefully planned decision we had worked tirelessly for.

When that realization sank in, he did a complete 180. Suddenly, he was the one cheering the loudest. “I’m proud of you,” he said.

Proud that we dared. Proud that we took the leap. Proud that we refused to let fear or other people’s doubts stop us.

And that was exactly what we needed—someone who truly saw the effort we had put in and believed that we deserved this adventure.

Mom—From Fear to Pride

Mom was skeptical from the very first second. Not because she didn’t want the best for us, but because the thought of everything that could go wrong kept her up at night.

What if one of the kids got sick far from home?
What if we ran into trouble?
What if we never came back the same way we left?

Oh no. She wasn’t against us, but her fear was stronger than our enthusiasm. Every time we talked about the trip, I could see it in her eyes—the worries that would steal her sleep.

But as the months passed and she saw how carefully we planned, how much we prepared, and how unwavering we were, something changed. She started seeing us in a new light.

“You’re brave,” she said one day. And I knew something had shifted.

She was still scared, of course—a mom never stops worrying. But now, fear was mixed with pride.

When the departure day arrived, she stood there with tears in her eyes and said, “This is going to be amazing for you.”

From Criticism to a Trip to Asia

Haakon’s family was the first to hit us with tough questions. They worried about finances, safety, and—most of all—the kids. Homeschooling? How would that even work?

The arguments came at us like a hailstorm, and we constantly felt like we had to defend our choice.

But over time, something shifted. Maybe it was because they saw how dedicated we were, how well thought-out everything was, or maybe because they realized that nothing could stop us.

Whatever it was, they went from being our biggest skeptics to being curious travel companions.

Suddenly, we weren’t discussing why we were leaving—we were discussing when they would come visit us. Destinations were suggested, plans were made, and the people who once shook their heads were now looking forward to seeing the world with us.

“You’re Leaving Me!”

My sister, on the other hand, was a different story. She wasn’t angry, but I could tell she was a little hurt—“How can you leave me for a whole year?”

It wasn’t real anger, more of a bittersweet feeling, a reminder of how close we are. We’ve always shared dreams, talked about everything we wanted to experience together, and now I was suddenly leaving—without her.

But even though she was a little sulky, I knew she wanted this for me. She would miss me, of course, but even more than that, she would live this journey with me—from afar.

She would follow every step, hear every story, and one day—I know—her time will come. This has always been our dream. This time, I just left first.

From Skeptical to Proud—How We Got Our Family on Board

What started as negativity and fear turned into a wave of support and encouragement.

Having their backing just before we left felt amazing. We weren’t alone in this anymore—we had our whole family behind us. ❤️

Here’s how we got them to support our travel dream:

✔️ Patience and open dialogue – We let the idea grow on them, answered their questions, and acknowledged their concerns instead of dismissing them.
✔️ Thorough preparation – We had thought through everything, from finances to safety, and were ready for the challenges.
✔️ Confidence and control – Once they saw that this wasn’t just a whim, but a well-planned decision, their fear turned into pride.

We’re the Mjaatvedt family, an adventurous group of five who followed our dream, quit our jobs, packed our bags and embarked on a year of backpacking through Asia. With us on the journey are three children aged 10 to 16, home schooling and a passion for exploring new cultures, flavors and places off the beaten track.

Through Asia4five, we share our experiences, travel tips and insights to inspire others to travel more – whether it’s on shorter vacations or bigger adventures. We create personalized travel guides, practical tips and honest blog posts to make your journey easier and more memorable.

Join us on the journey! 🚀🌍

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