Growing Into Adult Life

Thinking about the future is frightening. Why? Because we have no idea what we will encounter. What will be of our lives in the next 2,5,10, 20 years? The only correct answer is that you will have to wait to find out! This uncertainty becomes particularly pressing for people of certain ages. Right now, the age group that I am able to humbly speak on behalf of is the 20-30 demographic. I am 22 years old and with this age I have started to notice certain differences. As a starting point, things change. They really do. Friendships become scarce. The unconditional love you once received from your family seems to become less available and in turn less comforting. The perception you once had about yourself and others can change dramatically from day to day, week to week, year to year. No matter how long it takes for things to change, one thing is certain, and that is that they will not remain the same as long as we keep living.

A particular change in how you see yourself and the rest can be attributed to a constant alteration in your priorities and the perception you have of everything surrounding you. Something or someone you might have seen as vital in your life might not be as important to you anymore. That is why it is important you realize it is not only others that change. You have changed too. You are changing in this moment. And, you will continue to change. Even though people grow and adapt in different ways depending on what they already know and what they wish to learn, I have realized something I believe people my age have in common. The older you get, the more prone your are to feeling lonely. Why is that? Maybe it's because we are more conscious about how much time we spend by ourselves. Or maybe it's because most of our relationships begin to steer towards the professional sphere, as people tend to spend a larger amount of time at work.

Personally? I'm terrified of the future. There are so many things to worry about! Take for example climate change, what are we going to do if hurricanes sweep our homes or if it gets so warm that we aren't able to go outside. Take the possibility of nuclear war, what are we going to do if world leaders start another world war. These are big problems in the scheme of things. In considering a smaller scale I wonder, what will I choose to study as part of my postgraduate degree? Will I be able to get a job once I have finished my education? How will I become better educated about taxes and financial independence? No. This is not a way for me to ramble on about my worries. Instead, I am writing this to share something I try to remind myself of.

Wherever there are obstacles, there are solutions. In addition to this, when confronting a challenge or something that makes me anxious or nervous I try remind myself that "whatever happens, I will be fine". No matter what obstacle may arise, at the end of the day, I will have my health, a roof over my head, accessible water, etc. Which is more that can be said for many others in harder circumstances than myself. And this is exactly why I am thankful. Fearful, nervous, stressed, but nevertheless thankful. We cannot let the fear of change or of failure determine what our actions will be. Instead, we must take this fear and turn it into motivation to be prepared for what might come.