Adulting. It’s that phrase we all cringe at, yet can’t seem to escape. Between managing bills, navigating work pressures, maintaining relationships, and somehow finding time for ourselves, it often feels like a never-ending marathon. But what if I told you that adulting doesn’t have to be an exhausting race against time? What if there was a way to turn it into something more manageable—something you could actually feel in control of? Well, after years of stumbling through my twenties and early thirties, I finally figured it out. And if I can do it, so can you. Here’s a peek at five things that made adulting go from an overwhelming chaos to something I can finally handle with confidence.
1. Mastering a Budget System (Finally!)
At one point, my finances were a mess. Debt piled up, bills went unpaid, and I avoided looking at my bank account like it was the plague. I swiped my card for groceries, gas, and other daily expenses, hoping I wouldn’t get a transaction decline notification. I convinced myself this was “normal,” that everyone else was living in silent debt, too. But it wasn’t sustainable. The stress of constantly avoiding my finances, taking on more debt to pay off other debt—it was crushing.
The turning point came when I found a simple yet effective budgeting system that actually worked for me. Instead of getting bogged down by complicated spreadsheets or trying to balance every penny, I started using the 50/30/20 rule:
- 50% of my income went to essentials like rent, bills, and food
- 30% went to wants (because, let’s face it, we all need a little fun)
- 20% went to savings or paying off debt
At first, it felt impossible. I had to face the uncomfortable truth about my spending habits. Did I really need that new watch, or was it just a dopamine hit for my ADHD brain? But once I embraced this budgeting rule, I finally started feeling in control of my finances. I got out of debt, built up some savings, and most importantly, I stopped feeling like I was drowning in bills. Managing my money made me feel like a true adult.
2. Embracing Failure as a Learning Opportunity
For the longest time, failure was my worst enemy. Every mistake felt like a personal failure, a sign that I wasn’t cut out for the life I wanted. When I messed up at work, missed a deadline, or made the wrong decision, I would spiral into a cycle of self-doubt, questioning if I’d ever get my act together.
One of my biggest failures came in my late twenties when I poured everything into a nutritional supplement company. I invested time, money, and energy, only to have the pandemic shut everything down. It felt like the end of my entrepreneurial dreams. But over time, I realized that failure wasn’t the problem. The real issue was that I hadn’t built the right systems to sustain my business. Instead of seeing this as wasted time, I started seeing it as an invaluable investment in my skills. Those lessons shaped my next venture—my YouTube channel.
Now, I almost welcome failure. Not because it’s fun, but because it’s a learning opportunity. The mindset shift from “I’m a failure” to “What can I learn from this?” changed everything. I stopped fearing mistakes and started using them to grow.
3. Prioritizing Self-Care (It’s Not a Luxury)
For the longest time, I thought self-care was a luxury—something you did when your to-do list was empty. But that kind of thinking only led to burnout. It took me a while to understand that self-care isn’t just a “nice-to-have” thing. It’s absolutely necessary.
And no, I’m not talking about spa days or bubble baths (although, who doesn’t love a good bubble bath?). Self-care is about the basics:
- Getting enough sleep
- Drinking enough water
- Going to the gym
- Taking breaks without guilt
Once I started setting boundaries around my work hours and saying “no” when I needed to, life became a lot more manageable. I carved out time for myself—whether it was taking a short walk, journaling in the morning, or just relaxing with a good book—and found that everything else fell into place more easily. The better I took care of myself, the better I could handle adulting.
4. Mastering Time Management (It’s a Game-Changer)
For years, I felt like I was racing against the clock. No matter how hard I tried, there never seemed to be enough hours in the day. Work, errands, social life—there was always something more demanding my attention. The real issue? I wasn’t managing my time; I was reacting to whatever felt urgent at the moment.
Then, I discovered time blocking. Instead of a chaotic day where everything seemed equally important, I started allocating specific times for the most important things:
- Mornings were for health—no distractions, just the gym.
- Afternoons were for deep work—focused and uninterrupted.
- Evenings were for unwinding or spending time with loved ones.
Time blocking gave me structure, and in turn, helped me focus on what really mattered. It’s not about squeezing every task into the day—it’s about creating space for the things that will move the needle.
5. Learning to Manage Stress and Anxiety
One of the most overwhelming aspects of adulthood is the constant pressure to have everything figured out. We see friends seemingly thriving in their careers, getting married, buying houses—and we wonder, “Why don’t I have it all together by now?” The truth is, no one does. And that’s okay.
I learned that adulting isn’t about rushing through life and checking off milestones. It’s about finding your own pace, learning that it’s okay to be “behind,” and accepting that life is a journey with no set timeline. Once I embraced this mindset, I stopped feeling like I was falling behind. I accepted that not having it all figured out wasn’t a failure—it was simply part of the process.
Conclusion: You Got This
Adulting is hard. No one’s going to tell you otherwise. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that these lessons—mastering a budget, embracing failure, prioritizing self-care, managing time, and dealing with stress—are the tools that make it all just a little more manageable. So, if you’re struggling with the weight of adulthood, remember: it’s okay to be a work in progress. You don’t have to have everything figured out right now. Take it one step at a time, and trust that you’re on the right path.