How to Cope With “Adulting” Anxiety
It's common for people to feel anxious about getting older. After all, we are human and often do not embrace change. Life transitions around any event can feel very daunting to try and go through. One of these major life events is when you officially become an adult.
Anxiety around "adulting" most commonly occurs between the ages of 18 and 25. However, any person who is considered an adult can experience anxiety about adulting. It's that period of time when finding yourself in the world and learning to manage responsibilities all on your own are relatively new.
Most young adults will feel this type of anxiety to some capacity. If you are graduating from high school or college, or are making it out on your own for the first time, this post is for you. Let's talk about how to cope with adulting anxiety.
How to Cope With "Adulting" Anxiety
Stop Comparing
One of the hardest things about being an adult is feeling like you don't measure up. We live in a world where we are constantly on social media viewing the lives of other people. Our world is one that values staying busy and being super successful.
As a result of those things, we are constantly comparing ourselves to other people. We feel behind when our friends are all getting married, having kids, buying homes, and so much more.
Don't let the successes of other people overshadow your own. Be proud of the milestones you are achieving, even if they are small. Life is not a competition of who does what first. We are all on our own journeys and there's nothing wrong with that.
Stay Present
Anxiety makes us fear the unknown. It causes intense and unpleasant thoughts about what could happen in the future. When you are a young adult just starting out in life, these unknowns of what life will be like can be scary.
When you start to feel anxious because you're worried about the future, try to ground yourself in the present. What do you have, right here, at this moment? What good things are happening in your life currently?
If life starts to feel too heavy when you were worrying about the future, just take it one day at a time. You don't have to be in a constant cycle of planning and prepping for the days ahead.
Accept Mistakes
Life is not perfect. We are not perfect. In fact, perfection doesn't even exist. You're going to make mistakes. There will be days when nothing goes right and you end the day feeling disheartened.
Mistakes and slip-ups will happen. There will be times when you can't seem to get anything together and you'll feel like you failed. You didn't. We are our own worst critics and harshest judges. At the end of the day, mistakes are just a learning experience and not a testament to your character.
View them as a lesson learned and a way to say, "What could I have done differently? How can I use this as a way to ensure I do better next time?"
Take Care Of You
When life feels like a constant race, it makes taking care of your own mental health hard. Mental health is just as important as physical well-being. Anxiety often gets out of control when we can no longer find ways to help soothe our 'nervous' nervous systems down.
Despite how busy you may be, you should always try to find time to take care of yourself. Ensure that you are getting enough exercise, eating nutritious meals, and finding ways to unwind to help you relax. Yoga and meditation are fantastic methods to help practice mindfulness techniques. And if your idea of relaxing is binging your favorite show, then so be it!
Adulting can be scary but it doesn't have to cripple you with fear any longer. Reach out to us to learn more about therapy for young adults and how it can help you feel on top of the world.
