Crossing the threshold into adulthood is intimidating. Not all aspects of adulting come naturally, and fear of the unknown is bound to cause some anxiety.
Knowing how to pay bills, finding an apartment, and even cooking yourself dinner may be a hurdle you’ve never had to face before.
You may feel like you’re alone in feeling anxiety around adulthood, but it’s something everyone goes through. Getting through this transitional time of your life from being a young adult to being a full-blown adult is scary, but it’s possible!
Transformational Period
It may seem like every period of your life has been “transformational," and you would be correct! Going from high school to college to adulthood is enough to give anyone whiplash. Your role in society, your family, and perhaps as a friend, has drastically changed, and it is normal to feel anxious.
However, recognizing and acknowledging that this time in your life is stressful is the first step to dealing with your adulting anxiety. Ignoring the problem does not make it go away, but rather gives it more power. Once you’ve looked at your concerns head-on, then you can implement some of the following coping mechanisms to help you navigate adulthood with ease.
Coping with it
Now that you are ready to start dealing with your anxieties, you may be wondering, what’s next? There is truly an endless combination of coping mechanisms you can implement, the key is finding what works best for you.
Plan it out
One of the things about adulthood that makes it so anxiety-inducing is the unknown. There are likely many things you haven’t dealt with before, such as moving or finding a job. Planning out a personal schedule can help eliminate some of the unknown, or at the very least, allows you to accommodate for it.
At the beginning of your week, try writing down what activities you have planned for the week, what bills you have due, what your work schedule is, maybe even what you’ll have for dinner each week. Knowing what each day has in store for you will help you regain a sense of control.
However, don’t be afraid to go with the flow! If midweek your schedule derails, don’t panic. Life is full of surprises.
Be gentle with yourself
It is incredibly important to be gentle with yourself during this new period of your life. There’s no need to beat yourself up over a mistake you make. It happens to everyone at one point or another. Everyone makes mistakes, even adults.
Being an adult is not as easy as people make it out to be. Try not to compare yourself to your peers because they have problems of their own. You are not a failure if your life does not look exactly like everyone else’s. Give yourself grace.
Take care of yourself
Taking care of yourself applies to truly every aspect of your life. You are in charge of yourself now. Nobody else is going to tell you what to do. But with great power comes great responsibility! Be sure to take care of the following aspects of your health:
Physically: Adults still need to eat their fruits and vegetables, too! Try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day as well.
Socially: Even if you’re living in a new place, stay in contact with your friends and family. Having healthy relationships will help to boost your mood.
Mentally and emotionally: If you don’t already, try journaling or meditating. Start small, with one session a week, and gradually increase.
If you still feel yourself being overwhelmed by adulthood, there is no shame in reaching out for help. I’m here to lend a helping hand. Get in touch with me through the contact page at the top of my website, or through the link below. I look forward to hearing from you.
Reach out today to see how therapy can help with anxiety around "adulting."
For more information about therapy for anxiety, check out the link!