Not everyone views success the same way, especially when it challenges tradition.

Her decision to study acting and video editing instead of education was more than just a career move — it was a line drawn in the sand for one young woman’s overbearing aunt.

Read on for the full story!

AITA for not going to college for something my Aunt wanted me too?

My aunt wanted me to go to college for teaching.

I was not a fan of teaching kids, as I already work at a zoo, dealing with a crap ton of kids every day.

Her aunt was against this from the start.

My aunt was already against me working at a zoo, telling me it’s not a “lifelong job,” so she went on to telling me I should go to college for teaching.

I was a full-time employee at the zoo making a good chunk of money at the time, so I could have made that my “lifelong job.”

She proceeded to tell me how teaching is a much better job than working at a “stupid zoo.”

She lied to her aunt about what she was studying in college.

I went against what she said and ended up going to school for acting and also video editing.

While I was going to school, she kept asking how I was doing and how I liked teaching.

I would always tell her “great” because I didn’t want to make her despise me in any way.

At the end of my college career, I found a very good job based out of LA. (Note: I am from Ohio.)

But when she let her family know, you can guess who wasn’t happy.

I broke the news to all my family at Christmas 2 years ago, letting them all know the good news and that I would be moving to LA.

Everyone was so happy and excited that I was doing what I love—except my one aunt.

She said every bad thing she could possibly think of about me moving to LA and how this isn’t a “lifelong job.”

But she loves her job and her aunt couldn’t be more wrong.

I have been with this job for 2 years now and couldn’t love it more!

I don’t talk to my aunt anymore or fly in to go to family gatherings if she will be there because she despises me for not teaching.

I’ve gone before when she has been there, and all she has to say as soon as I walk in the door are terrible things about my job and that I shouldn’t have moved, as I caused a rift in our family.

But there’s more going on beneath the surface.

I’ve been told by the rest of my family that she is jealous that I am making more money than she is and that I don’t work nearly as hard as her.

Which I definitely think I do—work harder, if not as hard as her…

AITA for cutting my aunt out of my life and not going to college for something my aunt wanted me to?

Choosing authentically over obligation shouldn’t be treated like a crime.

What did Reddit make of this predicament?

This commenter wonders what this aunt’s deal is.

When it comes to your career path, the most important thing is following your heart.

The best teachers are probably teachers who have a legitimate passion for what they do.

It’s possible her aunt is trying to live vicariously through her.

It’s her life, so she’s entitled to make her own decisions.

If you liked that story, read this one about grandparents who set up a college fund for their grandkid because his parents won’t, but then his parents want to use the money to cover sibling’s medical expenses.