What does it mean to be mature, or a grown up?
- Does it mean that you no longer like Pixar cartoons?
- Does it mean that you no longer go on rides at Disneyworld?
- Does it mean that you stop going to bars or dance clubs?
What it Means to Be An Adult
Far too many people see adulthood as moving beyond the loves of childhood and adolescence. They give up video games. They stop spending money on black dresses for a dance club. They stop watching the Korean dramas, Anime, or action movies that they used to love.
They enter adulthood, and believe that they need to take on this adult role and leave all of the fun of childhood behind. The problem is that that is completely wrong.
Adulthood does have responsibilities. If you’re a parent, for example, you probably have to go to work, and when you come home you have to make dinner for your kids and make sure that they have some outdoor time. You have to clean the house, do laundry, and go to bed at a reasonable hour so you can do it all again the next day. Certainly there are responsibilities that adults have that children do not.
But beyond those responsibilities, entering adulthood does not mean you have to leave all of the fun of childhood behind. In fact, doing so can cause you to feel boxed in to a role that isn’t you – one that can lead to increasing levels of depression and anxiety, and at the very least a loss of life satisfaction that makes life amazing.
Have Fun – Even Childish Fun
Not only is it okay to love some of the things you loved in childhood. In many ways, having childhood fun is almost critical to being an adult. It creates a balanced functioning – one that understands letting loose, enjoying life, and being who you truly want to be.
You may still need to be responsible, but you are still welcome to spend a day at Splish Splash water park. You may need to go to work, but you can still go to the zoo on the weekends, or buy Destiny 2 to play it on the PS4. You may need to get rest, but you can still sleep with your favorite stuffed animal.
Enjoying these things is not childish. It’s loving the things that you love. The only true difference between adulthood and childhood is responsibility. But you are still free to be you, and you should feel free to have that childhood fun once in a while.
