I haven’t written in a long time because I have been going through a lot physically and mentally. Ever since my hysterectomy last year, I have had chronic pain in my lower back, thighs, and legs. Is this connected? No one knows. I have been getting help for it but I am still one slow path to a hopeful recovery. But the major obstacle to my creative flow has been the general state of the world.
I am having a hard time offering any advice on “being grown up” because the world has changed. What worked for my generation and previous ones doesn’t work anymore. The economic imbalance in our society has made older generations think that young adults just don’t want to work hard and follow their path, when the reality is that path now leads to a dead end.
Because I have always struggled, I thought that I had done something wrong along the way, and that is why I wanted to offer advice to young adults. However, I now realize that unless you are lucky enough to come from a wealthier household, the odds are stacked against you.
This doesn’t mean that we can’t make it…it just means that we have to reevaluate the system and change our expectations.
I am proud of young adults who are doing their best and pushing to change the systems, even in little ways. Honestly, I feel like it is you who should be giving me advice. Advances can never be made without shaking things up. I also think we need to change our mindset about what success is. Success isn’t an open concept home for your stay at home job, an idea that has been pushed on us for so long. Success should be happiness, freedom, and relationships. Why do we look down on those who are living with their parents into their 20’s or 30’s? I see it as a return to a closer extended family situation, the kind that previous generations and other cultures actually take pride in. I feel lucky to be close to my children and to have a better relationship to my granddaughter.
“It takes a village…”the saying begins, and I think we have forgotten to find our village. The people around us who support us in different ways, who make us feel successful in each little accomplishment. The people you actually trust to be around your children and to be an influence in your life. Gathering that support system for yourself should be your indicator for success in life. Not how much money you die with.
Is money important? Of course, we need to work and pay for things, that is how our society works. Do we need to reevaluate what we spend our money on? I think so. We buy into the ideas pushed on us by those taking our money. If we just prioritize what is important to us and spend our money accordingly,aybe we won’t feel like a slave to it anymore.
As you can see, a lot has weighed heavy on my mind lately. And I can only imagine how much it weighs on those out their struggling. I don’t know how to offer advice beyond my opinion what I think is important anymore. Things are changing… but while it can feel bad for the moment, I see a hopeful future full of new ideas. Things always need to crumble before it cam get rebuilt.
Should I continue this blog, and start discussions about all of this? Does this resonate with you in any way? Let me know what direction you think I should take this page. Leave me a comment or let me know and dm me at http://www.instagram.com/beinggrownup
Being Grown Up 