Moving to another country is often seen as an exciting step toward a better life. For many, going abroad is part of a long-term plan for financial stability and security. But after years of living overseas and earning well, some people begin to feel the pull of home.
A woman currently living in the UK has now shared her dilemma on Reddit, saying she wants to return to India and start a business, but her family is strongly opposed to the idea.
Family pushing her to settle abroad permanently
In her post, the woman explained that her father and extended family are insisting she stay in the UK and build her future there, even though she has clearly expressed her desire to move back.
“I’m a woman currently in the UK. My father and most of my family are strongly pushing me to stay in the UK permanently and ‘do something there only,’” she wrote. According to her, the pressure is not just about concern for her future but also about control and fear of risk.
‘They don’t understand business at all’
The woman said she wants to return to India and build a business of her own, but her family has repeatedly dismissed the idea. She feels they do not understand entrepreneurship and question her plans at every step.
“I’ve been clear that I want to move back to India and build a business there. The problem is they don’t understand business at all and keep questioning every small thing, asking ‘will you really do this, will this even work,’ and dismissing the idea completely.”
She added that these repeated doubts have taken an emotional toll on her.
Feeling unheard and emotionally drained
Over time, the constant questioning has left her feeling exhausted and unsupported. She said the situation has moved beyond seeking advice and now feels like a lack of respect for her independence.
“At this point it’s not even about advice, it just feels like constant doubt and pressure. I’m emotionally exhausted and starting to feel like I’m not being taken seriously as an adult.”
The woman said she feels stuck between her own ambitions and the expectations her family has set for her life abroad.
Ending her post, the woman reached out to the Reddit community for advice, hoping to hear from others who have faced similar resistance from family members.
“Has anyone here dealt with family resistance when choosing a different country or an entrepreneurial path? How did you handle the pressure without burning bridges or giving up on what you wanted?”
‘Stand up for yourself’
Redditors responded to her on the post. A user noted, “You are an adult. The societal expectation is you can manage to be independent. That includes figuring out ways to create value to take care of your needs and wants.
If you believe you can do that in India better than the UK, go for it.
Moving countries and entrepreneurship are lonely journeys. Only people who will get you and support you, are folks who have done both. Don’t expect family to understand you, specially Indian family.
Think of believing in your dream, despite family not supporting you, as the first challenge in your journey. There’s going to be many such events in this entrepreneurship journey where employees, customers, stakeholders won’t believe in your vision and support you. You’ll have to go out alone, Sorry, if my advice seems harsh.”
Another claimed, “I’m in a similar situation – but parents are not forcing me or anything – more like I want to start a business because I feel there is so much loss of agency in what you do while doing a full time job and I feel I can do much more starting something of my own (probably bootstrapping – mostly around software).
I am in the middle of coming up and validating a few ideas, but I feel it’d be much easier to network, hire (if I want to), raise funding – with a lower cost back in India. Not to mention socializing / being part of the community. But this is all just from seeing others in my batch, rather than first hand exp.
With the whole right wing nationalism picking up, immigration rules tightening etc – I am also questioning whether staying here long term makes sense.”
“For perspective, my parents were originally against it too. their generation did not get a chance to see the fruits born of capitalism; their worldview was SURVIVAL in a broken socialist system, while our struggle is SELF-ACTUALISATION in a much more fixed up capitalist economy.
At the end of the day its YOUR life. if you feel like your business is next level, then run that in India. trust me, the UK is & will continue to be a bad place, and their desperation will make it easier for you to deploy there INCASE things dont work out.
Best of luck to you, i hope one day i can buy a share of your company at ipo,” added another.
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