Debunking Myths about growing up: What's true and What isn't!
As we all know, growing up is hard. It’s not just the awkwardness of adolescence, either. There are also so many competing ideas about what it means to grow up in the modern world. On top of that, this is an era when everyone has access to information at their fingertips — and that can lead to some seriously irrational ideas spreading like wildfire. It’s no wonder people feel confused or overwhelmed. Fortunately, there are a lot of great resources out there that can help us sort through all the confusion and nonsense and get back on track again as adults. Below you'll find eight common myths about growing up that aren't actually true, along with real-life examples of how to break out of them when you start to feel stuck.
People grow twice as fast as children once they're adolescents.
If you’ve ever heard that teens grow at a faster rate than children, then you’ve been misled. Contrary to what many people say, teens don’t grow faster than children — they simply reach maturity at an earlier age. The myth about fasterthan-usual growth among teens likely comes from the fact that many teens are physically and emotionally more mature than their younger counterparts. You can see this as a teens start thinking seriously about their future, and may even be trying to make sense of their budding bodies and brains. This myth can be dangerous if you believe it and try to grow up faster than you should. This can lead to stress, anxiety, and even health problems.
You can’t change who you are as an adult.
This myth is one of the most pervasive in our society — and it’s incredibly damaging when we let it affect us. It’s easy to think that because we’re adults, we’re “done” growing. We can let ourselves get stuck in roles as parents, employees, spouses, etc. without realizing that we have the ability to break out of them and create new kinds of experiences in our lives. We don’t have to be any certain kind of person all the time. We don’t have to keep repeating the same kinds of experiences in our lives. We can change who we are and create entirely new kinds of experiences for ourselves and others every day.
There's no such thing as a “narcissistic personality” or a “socially awkward” person.
It can seem that way, but there are real, distinct types of people. There are the extroverts, the introverts, the neurotics, and the psychopaths. There are the people who have addictive personalities, those who have anxiety or depressive disorders, those who have social or communication differences, and those who have a specific type of personality disorder. There are the people who are “narcissists,” those who are “socially awkward,” and every other kind of personality under the sun. While not all people fit neatly into these types, they’re all real — and they can affect how you perceive other people and how you interact with the world. When we let these myths about personality affect us, we can put ourselves at risk for self-harm or even violence.
No one should feel pressure to grow up, or stay the same.
If you believe that, then you’ve got some growing up to do. And in order to grow up, you need to realize that you should feel some pressure to change and grow as a person. You should feel some pressure to grow up and become a better version of yourself than you were when you were a child. As a parent, you should feel some pressure to raise your children in a way that helps them become independent, empathetic, and respectful adults. You should feel some pressure to let go of some of the habits that continue to hold you back as an adult. As an employee, you should feel some pressure to grow and change as an employee — even if you want to stay the same as a person. You should feel some pressure to help your company and your colleagues grow and change as well.
If you want to be independent, it's okay to stay in your parent's home and live independently later on.
There’s nothing wrong with staying in your parent’s home and living independently later on, but you should also recognize that there’s nothing wrong with changing your mind and deciding that you want to be an active part of your family’s life. Now is a time for you to recognize that you have a choice about your own future as an adult — and you can decide how you want to contribute to the world. It’s okay to be curious about what you want to do in life, and how you want to contribute to the world. It’s okay to ask the people around you what they want to do, and what they want to contribute to the world.
You become more mature after you turn 18.
Some people do get more mature after they reach 18 — and that can be a great thing! But maturity is different for each person, and it doesn’t always mean growing up. There are plenty of examples of people who are mature and responsible for a large part of their lives well beyond the age of 18. In fact, there’s actually a lot of research to suggest that an early onset of maturity can actually be a risk factor for a future of chronic illness and high taxes.
Conclusion
Growing up can be difficult, and that can lead to a lot of myths getting spread around. However, there is hope if you dig down below the surface and listen to what your body, mind, and heart are telling you. There is so much wisdom in your body, mind, and heart that can guide you towards a happier and more fulfilling life.