I have a question for everyone. Like, a "please share your answer in the comment box" question. Actually two questions. And I'm utterly serious in saying I have no idea what the answers are. I do know that there are as many correct answers as there are blades of grass in my front lawn, but my answer isn't out there, at least not yet! These questions were posed to me this afternoon, and have left me seriously befuddled. My hope in gathering answers from the amazing readers of this blog will help me be able to formulate and articulate my own answers.
Question 1: What does it mean to be a grown up? Physically? Mentally? Emotionally?
Question 2: What do people fear about being a grown up? Physically? Mentally? Emotionally?
Please do not be shy! I will be ever appreciative of your input!
(P.S. The term "adult" can be interchanged with "grown up"
since technically, we never stop growing!)
Question 1: What does it mean to be a grown up? Physically? Mentally? Emotionally?
Ohhh...good questions.
ReplyDeleteLet me have a think about this and I will post later...x
What does it mean to be a grown up? Physically, mentally, emotionally?
ReplyDeleteHm…mostly I think being ‘grown up’ is about taking responsibility. There are obvious responsibilities that come with being an adult, things like paying rent and bills, and holding down a job etc…but there are other things that you gradually learn to be responsible for, too. Things like your thoughts and actions. You learn to honour your commitments and own your choices. I think we are always growing – ‘grown-up’ sounds like the end stage of a process, and I think that rather than getting to a point where we are ‘mature’ or ‘adult’ we are just learning to take more responsibility for ourselves and make better-informed decisions – we growing, as opposed to grown, if that makes sense? And I also think that making mistakes is an important part of the process – growing up isn’t about knowing everything there is to know or living by the knowledge you had when you were 15, 25, 30 – it’s about continuing learn and develop and change.
What do people fear about being a grown up – physically, mentally, emotionally?
Physical fears – illness, ageing, death. Thoughts of my own mortality – of not being here and present in a physical way. Absence. Non-existence.
Mental fears – deterioration of intelligence. Fear of making the wrong choices. Fear of failure.
Emotional fears – that I’ll never fall in love. That I’ll always be over-sensitive. That I won’t be happy.
This was an interesting thing to think about…I hope you post your own response at some point xxx
Sooooo appreciative of your response Cheryl! You make so many good points, and I like the idea of thinking "mature" instead of "grown up" Totally share your emotional fears, all mine too. Will for sure be posting my response as a new blog post... once I figure out the answers! xx
DeleteGrown up to me means being physically and mentally able to juggle a home, family, friends, and a job in a healthy, happy way. Physically, an adult to me is anyone over the age of allowed drinking age. Being an adult Mentally means that person knows how to cook, clean, hold a job and keep housing. Emotionally developed adult can have healthy relationships in their interpersonal relationships including family, friends, and co-workers. Emotional development also includes the ability to keep a long term job and enjoyment in life.
ReplyDeletePeople fear the change that's involved with grown up or that they are not ready for the responsibilities involved in growing up.
Hi Anon - thanks for your reply! I really resonate with how you described an emotionally developed adult as that's the area where I am lacking development. I really appreciate your response!
DeleteI was never afraid of the thought of being grown up. I always, for as long as I can remember, wanted to be grown up. I cannot remember ever liking being a child. I hated being a child and would not go back to being one for love nor money. I think it means having a sense of autonomy and being responsible for oneself and accepting the consequences of decisions one makes along with an understanding that most of the time one makes, or tries to make, the best decisions one can at any given time with the information available to them at that time.
ReplyDelete