Uncommon Legend

Figuring it out as you go

Adulthood – it’s the strangest thing I’ve ever experienced. I remember being a teenager and knowing what my next step was: go to college. However, since graduating, I have been doing life one season at a time. I often talk to my friends about adulting and how much we didn’t know what it meant. My parents prepared me as well as they could, but no one could prepare me for the emotions that come alongside the responsibilities. The thoughts of having to check my bank account constantly, being mentally present at my job, keeping up with current news, juggling grad school, balancing a healthy relationship. Shall I continue? The list seems like it will never end. I honestly don’t know how to put it all in writing either; it’s just one of those things that you have to experience for yourself in order to understand.

In college, I thought I was an adult. I had a few bills here in there, but not like this. Not to mention, I could literally take a nap in the middle of the day and not be judged for it. However, on this side of graduation, life is different. I don’t get the luxury of taking a nap. I have a job to do; I have reading for seminary when I don’t have a job to do. When I’m not doing either of those, I feel anxiety, and I start creating more things to do which perpetuates the cycle of burnout. The oddest thing is not operating like that. For a while, I felt like all adults did was work, eat, sleep, and repeat. No fun. No relaxation. No hobbies. But then I came to the realization that overworking is a sad life to live. I am meant to do more than just work and die. I want to live life to the fullest with no regrets. It’s why I picked up things like CrossFit, podcasting, and writing. I wanted to have fun and not spend my days longing for a better life. I don’t have everything figured out, but I am on a journey of thriving and not just surviving.