Adulting.. Am I Doing This Right?

Partner, house, career, furry children... am I adulting?

 Growing up is hard. When we’re younger (I say younger and not young, because I do not consider myself a ripe fruit by any means whatsoever), we are told that we’re living the best years of our lives. I do not really agree with this statement, however, I do understand where the adults were coming from. When did all of these responsibilities appear? You mean to say... the floors don’t magically get swept away from all the dirt that the dogs bring in after swimming in the lake? Do I really have to work to pay off my credit card bills? Am I supposed to know what I want.. and better yet, how do I get it? How do I adult?! 

 City girl freshly in the woods is adaptation enough.. sometimes I find myself having a hard time knowing what to do when things get overwhelming and hectic. Other times, everything is going as smooth as freshly ground Bulk Barn peanut butter (I promise they haven’t paid me to advertise.. but it’s the best PB EVER), and I’m the one creating overwhelmingly hectic thoughts. Then, a sudden idea popped into my head. Very recently, my beautiful baby niece learned how to walk. She first learned how to hold her head up (I’m telling you, it’s a big task), then she sat, crawled, stood up, walked with support and behold... look mama, no hands!! 
All of this came organically. Time played its part, as well as encouragement and personal effort.. but the effort had to be put in. 

 I find myself being overwhelmed by adult life. Modern western-day responsibilities (getting a new car, understanding how mortgages work, having to work to pay for things I want) pop up before we know it, accompanied by a certain pressure and self-expectation to know what we’re doing. What's missing is a certain maturity that develops with time (that's what the big kids told me.. they better be right). This maturity allows you (.. me.) to understand that you’re at a different stage in life now. That's when the fun begins: relying on yourself, being independent, trusting your gut, knowing what you want and not letting other people’s thoughts and opinions change your mind completely. Pretty cool, this adulting business.

 I am well aware that all life circumstances and meetings mold us into the individuals that we are, but at a certain point.. when do we stop needing to hear “it’s going well, you’re doing it right”? When do we not only hear, but listen to ourselves?

 I never considered myself being a perfectionist until adulthood kicked in. I needed to do things properly.. if not, not do them at all, just in case I would not succeed. For example: How do I grow a vegetable? Basic instinct was not in my favour to give me a green thumb, so Google helped out quite a bit.. nevertheless, the plants died. A whole month’s worth of effort shrivelled up. I was sad. I fell on my butt. 
Now, we’re planning on building a four-season greenhouse. How will that go? Stay tuned! 

 Baby steps. My niece fell down plenty of times before she clumsily wobbled on two feet. She put in the effort. Never forget to put in the damn effort. 

 This is a gentle and cliché reminder that we all fall down, until we’re strong enough to pick ourselves up and stand steady. I am in my wobbly phase, and that is alright. Sometimes discouraged, other times very excited to be standing upright.. but in transition and forever learning, nonetheless. The effort will be put in, but I can’t start running before standing up first. Don’t be hard on yourself. The journey should be fun. 

Alright, enough motivationtional talk. Only the first one's for free. Told you I think too much!

 Speaking of adulting, here are my furry children. Kami (wearing a glorious white coat) is Leo's little sister we picked up from inside a sewer when she was a month old while on a road trip across Armenia and Georgia. Fun fact: we didn’t know she was spotted up until two weeks ago when we got her shaved. Her daily mudbaths were giving us a hard time adulting (a.k.a. keeping the house clean). We love our street puppy.