Baby Steps into Life as an Adult

Growing up and heading out into the world can be scary, but it does not have to be paralyzing. Many soon to be or recent graduates cringe at the thought of the new responsibilities that they will have to deal with as they enter the real world and have to take care of themselves. The most powerful lessons will be ones that they learn along the way, usually resulting from major mistakes or failures but those are the foundational fortifying building blocks that can lead to life’s greatest successes and talents. Going into the fear is the fastest way to move through it, or else you will spend your life and most of your energy always running.

One aspect of adult life that can be terrifying is finances, especially if one never had to be responsible for them before. The thought of rent, let alone a home mortgage, can seem daunting. A naïve fledgling may not be aware of utilities like power, water, sewer and any other fees that may be mandatory in your residence. Those are just the bare bones. Cable, Internet, and cellular service can add up quickly. Add to that food, a car payment, auto insurance, health insurance, fuel, and various sundries (things like batteries, paper towels, cleaning supplies are things that many kids take for granted at home but when you need them, you need them).

It does seem like a lot to take on initially, but dealing with it one step at a time makes it manageable. First of all, live within your means. That may mean that you can’t initially have every little extra that you want but knowing that you can eat and pay for a place to call home means you’ll be able to sleep at night. Credit card debt just adds one more bill to the pot making it that much harder to pay for your essentials.

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