Adulting is hard— harder for those who fail to recognize it. But doesn’t it make you miss those days when things were relatively simpler? When the only thing you have to worry about is acads, school deadlines, and other extra-curricular engagements? However, like everything else in life, we must move on and grow to stand on our own—a transition to life bearing responsibilities and decisions that will impact our future.
Some of us have it better, but definitely not easier. Some even have to face adult responsibilities at a very young age, and if there is one thing that’s certain, it’s the fact that we cannot avoid it. Sooner or later, life will force us to make decisions on our own and take actions that are not dependent on others. We could all find ways to take the easy path if there ever is, but life will always take us where we are supposed to be.
When you start making decisions for yourself, you have to think that every action you take will determine your future. We often begin adulting when the inevitable comes—finding a job. In the Philippines, because of our culture of close family ties, it is common to see young professionals still living with their parents. Because of the same culture and tradition, even when we start our own families, staying under the same roof with our parents and siblings is a likely setup, and that is fine—only until a specific timeframe.
Catalog the circumstances.
One of the crazy things that generally happen when a person reaches the adult phase is the barrage of problems. Some, extremely absurd, seem not to have a way out. Usually, when they pile up, we lose our focus and, unfortunately, put us in a state of stillness. Things start to look hazy, we grow weary, and we start asking ourselves where we will go from here?
If you would ask any adults who, like you, are also struggling, they would likely tell you one thing; keep calm. While it may seem easier than done, calming our nerves do help in making us see things clearer. It is only when we can see things clearly will we determine what we can do. When we are being flooded by so many negativities around us, knowing what matters to us profoundly and tuning out those that are not could do us good. Focus on the things that you control; everything else is just background noise.
Never cease to learn.
Life is a continuous learning process. Looking at it from this perspective may offer a different view. It was once said that if you can’t change something, change how you think about it. Every step of the way, there is always something we can learn. They may mean nothing today, but tomorrow may hold the truth about them. Never cease learning. After all, what better way to make the most out of our time but to learn new things?
Adulting is hard. Nobody said it would be easy, but it does not mean you cannot ace it. There is no secret when it comes to this arena. Just remember that in school, at home, in our friends, and the strangers we meet along the way, all contribute to our readiness to face the real world. Trust that everything you know and everything you have is enough for you to become that strong, independent person you have or want to become.
Whether by winging it or by truly knowing what to do, what matters is you continue to move forward. When you get stuck, keep calm. The very core of adulting is by choosing to overcome any obstacles by punching through adversities. Sometimes, we just have to want something so bad to make things happen. Just like what Steve from Blue’s Clues said, “whatever you are doing, it’s working.” There is no irony here, that’s called adulting.
