I Never Knew Adulting Was Hard Until I Became One

Adulting, if I may define it from my perspective, is a major phase in a person's life that involve a series of choices one makes every day.

When I was a kid, I have always wondered how to grow up faster and be an adult already. You know, coming from a 4-year-old girl's point of view where you see your parents and relatives go to work and make money of their own. If there was one thing I'm certain of wanting to become an adult is to make money.

I have learned to become thrifty as well because I wanna save for my future and buy things on my own. I was that motivated to do it. And so it developed my character as to who I am now. I can confidently say that I'm good at managing my finances. I am very particular with them and I believe that it is definitely an advantage when adulting.

What initially comes to your mind when we talk about adulting? Well, most of us would answer something to do with bills and relationships, getting a successful career, and be financially free.

I really thought what adulting meant is hanging out with friends and staying up all night without asking permission from our parents or showing up at work with a hangover. I pictured out a very adventurous type of situation all throughout.

But to my surprise, when I finally reached that age where you realize that you should stand on your own now and be an adult literally is that there is more to these definitions that we created in life has to offer.

To me, what adulting really meant is to take responsibility for the choices I make every day and be open to the consequences I will face as a result of my mistakes coming off from those choices. It's about maturity, knowing where you stand, and taking ownership of the decisions you make throughout.

When you become an adult, you thought that you will have all figured out the way things are planned but it's not. Come to think of it, when you envision things the way you want them to be and they happen accordingly, it would be pleasing and very comfortable.

However, there will be no character development. You won't grow as a person. There is beauty in uncertainty. When you reach a point where everything doesn't make sense to you, that is where your patience and character are tested. That's how life teaches us, as what I wrote recently.

Also, true adulting starts when your life decisions at the moment already involve the people who matter to you. It isn't about yourself anymore. The main reason why you are so motivated to work is that you want to sustain the needs of your family.

How about setting priorities in your life? The moment you narrow down things and focus on them intently, I strongly believe that makes you an adult already. There are certain sacrifices that you would have to do in order for your life to progress. There will habits of you in your younger years that you need to let go to fully equip yourself with adulting.

What are the things that you value so much? If you answer good relationships with your inner circle and the people around you, that's what real adulting is. It is also crucial to know that apart from growing up, you know where your life should be heading to.

As mentioned, there is beauty in uncertainty but I believe that with intensive planning, taking consideration of a lot of things, and at the same time having an openness to adaptability is what makes you a legit adult.

For sure, along the way, you are going to meet people who are gonna pull you down. You'll meet people who will be unhappy with your success. You'll encounter obstacles and hindrances that will slow you down but again, these are vital instruments to knowing yourself better and becoming who you are meant to be as a person in the future.

These situations right now that we currently deal with are preparations of us for something brighter, for something better that the future has to offer.

P.S: I wrote this because I felt the need to remind myself firsthand. Most of my articles here are very personal and they're a reflection of who I am.

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Thanks for reading.

Keep safe everyone!