Adulting Isn’t Easy
There was a time I'd look at people older than me and think "Wow, they've got it all figured out! I can't wait to be as old as them!". I'd look forward to growing older, to living a glorious life with money and freedom, and being a cool adult. As a kid, I was fascinated by adults making their own independent decisions with confidence. I'd be envious of their ability to buy things they wanted, plan their own holidays, and not worry about finishing homework. I turn 24 this year, and I often think the kid version of me had life more figured out than I do.
As a child, it's easy to see only the nicer parts of being an adult. You aren't told your hair can start graying in your 20s (if you're lucky), or that you'll have to learn about taxes. You aren't worrying about the next recession or maintaining healthy relationships. You don't give much thought to the fact that growing older would mean everyone else around you grows older as well. Perhaps we're more optimistic as children, explaining why most adults don't reflect the energy and motivation they have as children when they grow older.
On most days, I still feel like a kid. I, unfortunately, don't display as much energy or don't smile at every silly thing I would have, but I have realized I'm still a far way from figuring things out as I thought adults naturally would have. I also realize, maybe a lot of us are in the same boat, trying to understand where we belong, what we truly want to do, and whether it would sustain our ideal happy life. Of course, it's nice to make my own money, but it also means I am fully responsible for every stupid monetary decision I've made over the last few years. I am starting to come to terms with the fact that my idea of an adult as a child must have been established from unrealistic books and movies, and that it's not very easy to figure out life as early as your 20s for most.
I think the good parts about growing older are that you learn how to deal with things better. You learn how to be more independent, and how to cope with failure and sadness. You start looking forward to the things that really make you happy and learn how to take care of yourself. You understand and appreciate the people in your life better, and value your time with them. Often lately I've found myself thinking the words "figure it out", but I think it's okay, and not something that happens overnight. It's somewhat comforting to know that most of us are trying to figure something out, and it's a learning process. It is a little sad to think that life wears us down, and we don't laugh as much, or show as much enthusiasm for life as we did when we were children, but I think this is a reminder to me (and perhaps you), that we'll be fine and maybe we should smile more.