I'm sorry I can't find the thread again. Anyway, it was a thread where someone was saying that he told his family being a beginner was like training as an athlete. I don't know whether you'll ever succeed or not so I don't know if it's worth answering. And I hate to say this but it sounds like you and your family members have a tendency to take each other's opinions really seriously. I know this may sound cold and distant, but I would just calm down and tell them that it's their opinion and we've discussed this before and we won't discuss it again. My personal choices are none of your business so stay out of it. I dismiss other people's opinions as a "lack of understanding". And, that's it. It's true there can be some differences of opinion, but in the end, their tolerance of your personal choices really determines whether they respect you as a human being or not. And if they don't, you know what to do. Take that front door out of there and move on with your life. If you make a mistake and wasted your time, you'll only have to answer to yourself.