‘Some days I amaze myself. Other days I look for my phone holding it,” said most adults!

Every once in a while we stop and think, “Wow! I’m such an adult!” We leave school and we enter the real world and  try to figure it out one day at a time. As soon as we think we have it all figured out, something new comes up and you just think, oh boy, what fresh hell is this? So you stop again, maybe sit on your couch and wonder if adulting is actually for you and if most adults feel like this, even thinking about how you’re going to do this with kids when you can barely figure it out on your own! And if you have a kid you think about all the people who are asking you when you’re going to have a second one and proceed to have a mini break down.

Calm yourself, we’ve all been there, we’re still there actually, some days more than others. Own adulthood, remember that there are a lot of awesome things that come with it too! So if we’re all on the same page here, here are 15 times you gave yourself a pat on the back because you were SUPER proud of yourself for adulting:

15. Paying Your Bills On Time

Cell phone bills, internet bills, credit card bills, bills, bills, bills! If you’re not organized, you are definitely going to find yourself super late on one of these payments. Now every time you get mail, you find yourself wondering what now and how much is it this time!? Seriously, write things down! Keep an excel file with the bills you have to pay every month so you don’t overspend and find yourself stuck with bills you can’t pay. It’s always super smart to shop around for other deals too; just because you’ve been with the same internet provider for a couple of years, doesn’t mean you can’t get a cheaper deal somewhere else.

14. Getting Your Taxes Done On Time

The first time you were asked to get a T4 from your employer you were probably like ‘huh?’ Then you learn that you need that to be able to finish your taxes every year! You learn to keep your papers because come April if you don’t have all your papers in order you’re going to be running around like a chicken that just lost its head. Again, stay organized! It’s funny how as soon as we have a deadline everything else in the world works against you to stop you from meeting your deadline; you start having people inviting you to go out left and right, family members coming into town, you get a promotion, you get engaged, maybe even a meteor falls from the sky!

13. Having Gas In Your Car Before The Light Goes Off To Remind You

“In winter always make sure to have your gas tank more than half full,” said every dad to his kids. What do the kids do? Usually wait until the gas light goes off, and even then you think, ok I’m just going down the street and will get gas on my way back! Of course, the universe is punishing you, so you hit crazy traffic and just pray that you don’t have to call your dad to come get you because he will lecture you for the next 6 years about it. Put gas in your car, just do it, the lecture from your dad is so much more painful then stopping to get gas.

12. Having An Actual Meal, Not A Frozen One And Not From A Can

Oh how easy it is to just take the plastic off and put it in the microwave for 15 minutes; even then, you’re staring at the microwave because you want to press stop before it hits 0 and you have to listen to the unnecessary beeping! Unfortunately, as you get older you start feeling crappy, no energy, always tired, in a bad mood, and you’re wondering why because when you were 16 years old these meals were all you needed! They gave you exactly what you needed, they even included dessert. But now that you’re 32, you find yourself craving that chicken salad because you’re stomach doesn’t feel as horrible when you eat it. Learn to make a few small meals, and maybe take some with you the next day at work so you don’t have to buy junk food!

11. Sleeping Early Because You Have A Big Day

We all remember as kids how we hated going to sleep. Our parents would insist that we should be in bed by 9pm at the latest, but we just go to bed, lay down and think, once I move out, I will be up as late as I want! As you get older, you wish for that nap that you once hated when you were younger and wish you could go back and take advantage of all the naps you never appreciated! It’s so easy to binge watch your favorite show for 6 episodes straight, and before you know it it’s 4am and you have to be up in 3 hours to give a huge presentation at work. And of course you’ll be exhausted. Adults know when to go to bed!

10. Waking up A Little Bit Earlier Than You Should To Have Breakfast

You go to sleep super late and of course you snooze 6 times. The night before you had plans to wake up early, have breakfast, some coffee and maybe even exercise! HA! You wake up in the morning 45 minutes later than you planned and start running around to find jeans, a shirt, and if you’re a girl you’re putting makeup on the bus or in the car at the red light. I’ve learned that if you start off on the wrong foot, and wake up rushing, you will probably end up rushing around for the better part of the day. Tip: Prepare your clothes, gym bag (if you’re going to the gym after work), and maybe even snacks to take to work!

9. Not losing Your Shit Over The Annoying Coworker

We all have that one coworker that can get on your nerves and can make you go from 0 to 100 in 4 seconds. If you’re really unlucky you have more than one coworker who is that annoying. It’s so easy to just flip the table and go home, but then you have all the bills to pay and the trip to Cuba you want to take. You become an adult when you hear something annoying, take a deep breath, smile and walk away. Always ask yourself, will this really matter in 5 years? If no, then shake it off and move on, you can let it out at the gym, or take a boxing class and think of your coworker as motivation to punch harder!

8. Working Out As Planned

We all make plans to go the gym. We start at 3 times a week, and everyday we decrease the number of times we intend to go. There is no better feeling than actually following through and working out as you planned! Hold on to the amazing feeling you have the next day when you have all the energy in the world to take the day on. Does it sometimes feel better to sit on your couch and eat nachos? Yes! In the long run is that good for you? No! Make sure you’re also taking care of your nutrition. It’s not just about lifting, if you don’t eat the proper food you definitely won’t have the energy to work out as much as you want, and you won’t see the results you are dying for!

7. Changing Your Oil, Tires, Or Anything Car Related

No one likes car chores, NO ONE! And they never end. Once the oil is changed, something is wrong with the tires, once that’s done, your car screams low tire pressure, on and on go the car problems and the credit card bill increases with every swipe! No one likes to call and make the appointment, and you probably don’t like sitting there waiting for your car either. However, you feel like such a boss when you’re in your car knowing that you have a full gas tank, new oil, and oh boy if you get a car wash too, oh how good does that feel?

6. Carrying Around Cash, Not Just Depending On Your Credit Card

“WHAT!? You only take cash?” said almost every millennial who caries around cards only. Why would you not though? Banks are making the rewards so awesome that it’s just so much better to use your credit card, and sadly you get into a habit of carrying around 5 dollars or the change you got two weeks ago that you never used. Every once in awhile you go to the bank and think, I need to carry around $100 just in case and you feel SO good, because then if you’re going somewhere where they don’t take debit or credit (yes sadly these places do exist) you don’t have to pay the surcharge of $3 that hurts your heart (just a little bit).

5. Not Letting House Chores Get Out Of Control

Aren’t you just so proud of yourself when all the house chores are done? There is nothing better than waking up to a clean house, dishes done, clothes in the closet, all ironed! The trick is, don’t let it pile up, do a little bit everyday. Don’t be the person who wakes up under a pile of clothes because you’ve procrastinated about putting it away or doing laundry all week. The next time you get super lazy washing that one plate, remember how it feels like to wake up to a sink of dirty dishes, pots, pans, and all the yuckiness stuck in your sink that you have to work twice as hard to clean.

4. Knowing When To Stop The Binge Watching

One word: Netflix. It takes MAJOR self control to know that the entire season is just there, a click away and just walk away from that. The worst (or best thing) is when you start a show that’s already 4 seasons in; no waiting for months between seasons! It’s so easy to just sit on your couch, all comfy, covered in your soft blanket, with snacks all around you, and watch episode after episode, after episode! Admit it, right now you’re thinking about the show you’re watching now or the last time you’ve binge watched a show and were completely disconnected from the world.

3. Having A Laundry Day

Adults don’t wait until they don’t have underwear left to start doing laundry. Sunday is usually a good laundry day, and don’t wait until 11pm to start your laundry because than you’ll be up until 1am folding. As you sit on your bed and fold your laundry you appreciate all the work your mom did for you; working, making a delicious supper, comforting you, but also always having your laundry nicely folded. After you put everything where it belongs you just take a moment to appreciate the adulting you just did. Oh, and the feeling of new sheets on your bed is just the best!

2. Having A Savings Account

You get a new job, and every two weeks your bank account is growing. It’s super easy to just spend this money left and right and have no plan! Don’t do that. Take time to prioritize and stop at two shots! If you learn to put some money away every pay then you are officially an adult. Things happen! You can lose your job, you might need to buy a new car, and don’t forget the medical expenses that come out of nowhere! You never know what may come up. If you continually have $6 in your savings account, it may be hard for you to own property or a nice car one day! Be smart with your money, it’s not about how much you make, it’s about how much you save.

1. Organizing Important Papers

Bills, tax papers, mail, as you get older the clutter gets bigger! Before you know it, you’re ruffling through 7 piles of paper trying to find your T4 from 2011. Do yourself a favor and buy a folder from the dollar store, the one with many colorful labels, and keep yourself organized. Give your future self a reason to high five your present self! Organizing doesn’t have to be torture; get some wine, sit on the floor, turn on music or your favorite TV show (Everybody Loves Friends) and just organize it all!

Source: Thoughtcatalog.com