Slow And Steady Wins: 3 Reasons Not To Rush Growing Up

In a world that moves at a pace as fast as ours, it isn't unusual to find ourselves needing to do multiple things at once, continuously going from one place to the next and answering a seemingly endless stream of messages on our phones and laptops.

Nowadays, even children find themselves in similar conundrums and are, in a way, like little adults with their cell phones and the need to go from activity to activity.

Having dreams for the future and working toward them in the future is not negative quality, by any means.

However, in times of stress, whether it's searching for a new job, struggling to make it through finals week, or finding a romantic partner, many young people find themselves wishing they could surpass certain stages of life and fast forward to a time with more stability.

Well, there are no shortcuts in life. It moves quickly enough as it is, so slow it down, take a breath and embrace the chaotic moments of the present.

Embrace your age.

With each passing day, we gain a little more experience, make a few more memories and maybe even learn a thing or two. However, as we live and learn through different stages of life, we find that age plays a factor in the experiences we have and how we react to them.

For example, when people are younger, many tend to jump at any opportunity to go out and spend unforgettable late nights with friends.

However, as they get older, even with the slightest changes in age, it isn’t uncommon for people find themselves increasingly choosing to trade crazy nights out for cozy nights in, complete with Netflix marathons and junk food.

Both options are good in their own respects and are not restricted to people of a certain age range, of course. Generally, however, our choices shift with age as we face different situations in different stages of life.

So, we should embrace the experiences we have in the present and the environments in which we have them, rather than dismiss the present and think solely about the future.

The journey is half the fun.

Sure, we all have those stressful times when it seems like the weight of the world is on our shoulders and we want nothing more than for the day to end. But, a bad day or a stressful week should not make us want to completely pass on a portion of our lives.

Finals week may have students wishing they could graduate already and find a job. Singles may wish they could fast forward to the portion of their lives where they are settled down with a partner and children.

Future endeavors are always something worth working toward; however, we should not be so quick to dismiss the journey. Late nights studying and dates gone wrong, among other incidents, are all experiences we can grow and learn from and later, look back on.

It may not seem like something we want to remember at the moment, but after some time, it isn’t rare to find yourself reminiscing.

Nobody grows up overnight.

As much as we may try to grow up as fast as possible, whether it’s by changing the way we dress, with whom we spend time or having a sudden change in interests, it is rather difficult to gain all the knowledge and experience of a lifetime in a short period of time.

Perhaps growing up isn’t about having a 401(k), or even knowing what a 401(k) is. Rather, growing up is about spending time with people, appreciating the experiences life has to offer through its various and sometimes tumultuous stages and learning and growing from them.

Next time you find yourself wishing something could be over already or fast-forwarding through a part of your life, try not to stress too much.

Embrace your age and the experiences that come with it and think of it rather as a memory in the making and a time to live and learn.