As much as we fantasize about growing older and having more freedom, the path to adulthood is a long and treacherous one. To help make your transition easier, here are ten tips that serve as a handbook when you’re promoted to the grown-up leagues.
1. You Don’t Have To Do It All Alone
One of the best pieces of advice I can give to young adults is that don’t try to do it all at once by yourself. Having a support system is essential because adulthood is really lonely, so trying to juggle it all without asking for any help will only lead to intense sadness and complete and utter burnout.
2. Fake It Till You Make It
The first thing you’ll realize when you grow up is that no one knows what they’re doing. Everyone is just as clueless as you about this whole adult thing, so you shouldn’t spend time fretting over other people’s accomplishments.
The best thing to do is just fake it until you don’t need to anymore and maybe learn how to use Google.
3. Renting Is Okay
Everyone would like you to believe that you need to work your hair off and save money so you can buy a house in the future. While that’s true to some degree, renting apartments is not all that bad as people would like you to think.
You will get where you need to go in life, but until you do, rent away.
4. Find Joy in the Little Things
A crucial stepping stone while going into the big leagues is finding joy and happiness in little mundane pockets of life. While we’re in a rush to get everything done, make money, start a family, buy a car, etc., we forget to take a step back and just enjoy the fleeting moments.
Joy can be found in a book, your friends, a good meal, your beloved cat, or even just a sunny day.
5. Nurture Your Inner Child
Being older does not mean you stop being a child at heart. Fulfill those things that you never got to as a child: buy that Lego set, have ice cream for breakfast, or buy that six-foot teddy bear that your mom would never let you get.
The moment you stop nurturing your inner child is when all the gloom and doom begins to seep into your soul.
6. Take Out Time for Yourself
Running after milestones can take a massive toll on your mental health, which has lasting and detrimental effects. It’s essential to work hard and hustle, but it’s equally important to know your boundaries.
Taking out time for your needs isn’t wasting time or being unproductive; it’s actually quite the contrary because you’ll be able to do so much better if you’re not feeling like trash.
7. Go to Therapy
Leave the stigma behind and try out some therapy. You don’t need to have chronic depression or crippling anxiety to visit a therapist. It can be as simple as talking things out to help you process your feelings better.
As an adult, therapy becomes a basic fundamental need that you shouldn’t be depriving yourself of.
8. Fix Your Eating Habits
Since you’re no longer a child, you have to remember to take care of yourself on your own. Your body is going to change, and if you maintain your daily dose of loaded fries, milkshakes, and packets of spicy ramen, you’re going to have to deal with serious issues later on.
The immune system also has a limit; don’t let it get to that point in the first place.
9. Proper Sleep Is Important
Not to sound like an 80-year-old grandpa, but sleeping well improves your life. You only realize the importance it holds once you try improving your sleeping habits. The results may shock you completely.
Not waking up feeling like a walking-talking zombie is going to be the best feeling ever.
10. Stop Comparing Yourself
I can’t emphasize this enough: don’t compare yourself to others because it’s going to destroy the little mental sanity you have left.
Even if someone has a Porsche at age twenty, you need to prevent yourself from going down the I-can-do-better rabbit hole. You’re doing okay, champ; hold your head high.
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This thread inspired this post.
I’m John Schmoll, a former stockbroker, MBA-grad, published finance writer, and founder of Frugal Rules.
As a veteran of the financial services industry, I’ve worked as a mutual fund administrator, banker, and stockbroker and was Series 7 and 63-licensed, but I left all that behind in 2012 to help people learn how to manage their money.
My goal is to help you gain the knowledge you need to become financially independent with personally-tested financial tools and money-saving solutions.
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