5 Things I Am Doing Now As An Adult

Growing up into an adult has to be one of my biggest challenges. If anyone ever tells you that adulting is a walk in the park. Please stop and ask them which version of adulting they are on, because I need to know and I bet many others in this adulting process are dying to know too.

As exhausting as adulting can be, I have learnt to wing it my own way. One thing I’ve come to learn and understand is that “adulting” doesn’t happen in one day. Rather It’s a long process that requires focus, commitment and effort.

Here are 5 things I am doing as an adult.

1. Expanding My Network

Remember the days of secondary school when one had a clique of friends and all. After secondary school, that long list of friends dwindled. Same happened to friends from university days. Out of all the many friends you made while in school, only a few will remain friends in the long run.

So one of the things I am doing as an adult is to expand my network. I am making new and valuable friends. Gone are the days of making friends with each and everyone. These days I take my time and process what value you will add to my life before associating with you. Trust me when I say making the right friends is one of the major steps to adulting.

Here’s a list of the different friends one should have.

2. Developing Multiple Streams of Incomes

This right here is the ish! I am super grateful for the opportunity blogging has brought my way. Over the last two years of blogging, I have come to learn that side hustles are real and that sometimes “side hustles” pay more than main hustle.

While I have my main source of income from my 9-5, I’ve multiplied my streams of income and have side hustles such as social media management, freelance writing and editing.

There are several ways to multiply your stream of income as a millennial living in this internet age. You just have to find one you have a passion for, develop it and turn it into a lucrative craft/business.

If you want me to write a post on how to diversify your sources of income, let me know in the comment section.

3. Managing My Financial Life

The most grueling challenge of adulting is paying bills and making certain decisions. I would be lying if I say I don’t miss the days of “pocket money”. Not having to work for the money I spent was a sweet experience.

Although looking back I sort of regret not understanding the value of money then.

Now I have to work and spend my own money, the wisdom of financial management has taken hold of my life.

There’s less impulse buying. I do more of window shopping these days and I plan my expenditures meticulously.

Towards the end of every month, just before payday, I plan my spendings.

I classify them into hierarchies, ranging from needs, wants, miscellaneous and excesses.

I always set money aside for “excesses” different from miscellaneous.

Excesses are for those days when I crave a cup of cold stone icecream or when I impulse buy a pair of sandals etc.

Thank God for digital age, I do most of my budgeting using apps and since I carry my phone with me everywhere, my budget also follows me everywhere.

For savings, I remain thankful for saving apps like Piggyvest and cowrywise.

If you haven’t learnt how to financially manage your lifestyle as an adult, you need to stop and fix that ASAP.

4. Being Less Dreamy and More Realistic

This one is a constant battle. I am a pisces and one of the characteristics that comes with my zodiac sign is that we are very dreamy creatures.

During my teenage years, I spent hours immersing myself in my own “make believe” thoughts.

I planned my own wedding a thousand times over in my head. I visualized being the richest woman in Africa, a thousand times more.

While it was fun and served as a temporary respite. I eventually realized that if I don’t stop spending too much time “dreaming” and in reality, start “working hard”, they will remain exactly as they are; mere dreams.

Don’t get me wrong, I still fantasize but I try my best to reduce it to the barest amount.

Lalaland will not foot my bills or help me achieve my goals. Not at all.

Related: Always big dreams but no action

5. Growing at My Own Pace

Remember the epic saying ” One step at a time?” I tend to think of it as a fraud.

One of the first things I learnt as an adult is that problems sometimes come in their droves and if you decide to take one step at a time, you might never get through them.

So here’s what I do; I take multiple steps, Sometimes, I take a single step and some days I take no step at all.

It all depends on what works for you. But I understand that life in general is a process and while I work towards being the best version of my self, I accept that it’s okay to not rush or slow things down.

Understanding that Life is a Process helps me in taking it one day at a time and sometimes as many days as I can handle.

What’s important is I move at my own pace.

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How’s your adulting process going? What are some lessons you have learnt as an adult and what changes are you making to better your adulting process.