Am I Adulting or Living?

I hear the word “ADULTING” everywhere I go these days. It makes me feel old and weathered and boring. I’m not old! I’m… not the Vogue definition of “young,” either.

“Adulting” is defined as “the practice of behaving in a way characteristic of a responsible adult, especially the accomplishment of mundane but necessary tasks.” (Oxford Dictionary)

Based on this definition, I’ve been “adulting” for quite a while. I am not against the term (at least it’s not an acronym… yet). I don’t understand why it IS a term. When did we stop using the term “LIFE?” Maybe I AM old. We don’t describe young kids as “childing” or teenaging” (or do we, since I’m a fossil now?). They're just living. Same with me.

September is always an interesting transitional month in our household, and this year was no exception. In between this so-called “adulting” and my 9-5 job, I fought off a cold circulating in the house, kept up with chores, got back into the swing of the school year and continued writing daily. I get it - “Adulting” at times can be overwhelming.

Unfortunately, exhaustion set in this week. It didn’t help to witness the sun show up less each day and cooler temperatures arrive. I am already a bad sleeper. I felt more run down than usual. Writing became more of a challenge.

How do I keep my old adult self motivated to create with words when I'm not feeling 100%?

First and foremost, I show up every day.

On days when I’m running on empty, all I want to do is cuddle with the kitties or watch TV. Yet I choose to write daily, no matter what. Today marks 605 days of daily writing and journaling. I am excited to be at this part of my journey. I had to commit to showing up daily to get here.

I carve out a specific time in the mornings to write. Some days only consist of a journal entry. On other days it is much more. It is a great way to start LIFE each day. All other adulting tasks appear smaller to tackle after having a bit of personal creative space.

There are mornings I need to sleep in or I have an extra-early appointment to plan for. On those days, I will write later in the day or night. As much as I love to write in the mornings, I am flexible on days when my schedule doesn’t allow me to write first thing, or I plan to write later in the day.

There are days when I am too tired to hold my pencil or type. There are other days I have ideas to write down and they disappear as soon as I get a chance to write. It can be discouraging and it is easy to quit and blame the exhaustion from “adulting” for not being able to create.

I am open to trying out new routines and tools. Last year, I struggled in the fall as I adjusted to less sunlight in the mornings. My GEL PENS brought much brightness and pleasure to my writing routine. This week, as I was cooking, I tried recording my words using Google Docs. It was awkward talking into my phone with nobody on the other side. Still, it helped me capture many ideas at the moment while keeping my hands free. I am curious to see how this will change my writing routine in the mornings. More to come on this…

Showing up is only part of the battle. Admitting you need help is another. On days and weeks when I am extra tired I will ask for more help from family with tasks around the house. I used to be afraid to ask. Writing things out helps me to recognize easier when I feel drained and what I need help with. If family and friends are not options for you, consider paying another outside your home to assist with tasks (e.g. home cleaning, grocery shopping or dog walking). Either way, knowing in advance what daily tasks are important will help prioritize the ones you’re able to spend time on vs. those tasks you need help with.

There will be days when you don’t want to create at all. I admit to having these days, and this week was challenging. I may be tired while writing yet I am not tired OF writing. I continue to show up with my writing in between LIFE. Writing is a part of my LIFE. A mundane task it is not.

I was once trapped in a spiral of “I can’t / won’t start today,” and “I’ll do it tomorrow” thoughts because I separated creating from living. I shifted my perception of surviving vs. thriving. I want to stop “adulting” and LIVE more. Living IS creating and creating is living. If I can create on days when I am overwhelmed and spent with my older adult life, I can create any day. And this propels me to live to my fullest and create more.

This doesn’t mean I don’t want to SLEEP!

Have a great week and continue to show up as best you can, fellow creators.

Naddy / Nadine