By Chris Scaife
As I look beyond high school to life ahead of me, I have several fears about my future. Early on, from age 13-15, I focused on my own needs and concerns, but during high school, I started to dabble in adulthood. Now that I am 18, I’m finally understanding that my future success is totally up to me.
I begin to feel the pressure of too much change in too little time as I move into young adulthood. This left me feeling afraid and worried. Thoughts of being independent, taking on the responsibilities of an adult and losing the support of my mother began to arise.
I had to be courageous and face these fears. Running from these fears, when there was no real danger, would erode my self-respect. I wasn’t interest in eroding my self-respect. I wanted to build my self-esteem although fear has its function. It forced me to stand up and notice when something important was happening around or inside me.
As I start this journey, I’d like to share a few words of advice my mom has shared with me.
She encourages me to honor my fears. It’s natural to be afraid to support yourself, make your own decisions and make your own way.
Don’t be spooked, just remember, you will stumble along the way. You’re going to get things wrong, and it’s going to suck, but then you’ll be more careful not to make the same mistake again. Instead, you will learn to have a little thicker skin and you’ll jump backup and get going.
Becoming an adult is hard and can be scary and uncomfortable. It’s the first time people aren’t going to lay out a path for you to follow, you have to find your own way. That doesn’t have to be as scary as it sounds – the journey is half the fun and it’s only scary because you haven’t gotten started on this new journey.
Again, don’t be spooked, your parents will still be there to assist you. You’ll feel more at ease once you get started on your journey of becoming a responsible adult and enjoying the benefits of living a life that is solely yours.
