Hello! We are back with another issue of our blogpost. Today we are going to share about the popular term “adulting.”
Have you reached legal age and still do not feel like an adult? Overwhelmed by all the responsibilities that come with it? Adulting is definitely not an easy process, and it can get quite unclear sometimes. What exactly does it mean to be an adult? Do we transit into an adult when we graduate from university? When we get our first job, or, when we get married? All this can sound confusing to young adults like you and I who are still exploring the world around us.
However, being an adult means you are ready to take on the responsibilities in your life independently, be it in your work, education, or other aspects of your life.
Getting a job, financing yourself, and getting married might be the sign that you have developed fully as an adult back in the old days. However, in today’s day and age, we are blessed with an opportunity to take a longer time to establish our identity. Even though Singapore’s legal age is 21, it is often to find young adults above the age 21 who are still trying to find jobs that are suitable for them or still studying. Some people managed to find jobs very early, even when they are younger than 21 years old. Some people might even be above 30 and they are still completing their education. Therefore, age and whether or not the person is working are not good measures of adulting because just getting a job or getting older does not immediately mean that you are already an adult. However, being an adult means you are ready to take on the responsibilities in your life independently, be it in your work, education, or other aspects of your life.
So now we know that adulting means that you are starting to be responsible for your life decisions and actions. At first, it might be very daunting and we might not get used to it. You might just start your new job and your boss is throwing you off with a tremendous workload. But there is nothing you can do about it and you need to complete it anyway because you are responsible for everything you do wrong. You may still try to find a job as well to support yourself financially, but you can’t seem to find a place that will hire you with a sufficient amount. You are worried that you are not able to find a job and the pressure from your parents and your surroundings are certainly not helping. How do we deal with this sudden societal pressures and immense responsibilities?
Being responsible means that you are able to decide the right choices for yourself and when things go wrong, you are able to correct your mistakes and try other options to fulfill your best interest.
Part of being an adult is discovering more about yourself and finding out about what works for you and what do not. If you find yourself ending up in a place that is suffocating you and making you feel unhappy, it does not mean that you need to be stuck in it forever because of your responsibilities. However, being responsible means that you are able to decide the right choices for yourself and when things go wrong, you are able to correct your mistakes and try other options to fulfill your best interest. Maybe you are already doing what you love and have found the right job for you, but you are struggling to cope with all the expectations and challenges that come with it. Nevertheless, as long as you are trying your best and giving everything you can, you should be very proud of yourself. Sometimes, it is good to be reminded that failures and challenges are just opportunities for us to learn, not something that we should avoid.
At the end of the day, in facing the struggles of finding your identity, taking responsibilities, and being an adult, remember to still take care of yourself and have fun! Even though the pressure is immense and overwhelming, it is crucial to have a healthy mind and body so that we can give our best to whatever we are aiming at that point. So go out there, work as hard as you can, and remember that you are not struggling to figure out this “adulting” process on your own!
Signing off,
InPsychful intern
https://inpsychful.sg/wellness-workshops/