10 Signs You’re An Adult Who Hasn’t Completely Grown Up Yet

1. You haven’t reached your career peak so you don’t feel the need to take it so seriously yet. You have to pay the rent and get dinner on the table — as long as you’re making your money and are content, you’re okay with whatever job you have to take for now. There’s no shame in being at the bottom of the ladder — we all start somewhere.

2. You know there’s a difference between childish and child-like. Sometimes you do have to deal with people who are the former, but ultimately, you’re okay in knowing that being the latter isn’t the same thing.

3. You know what your strongest skill sets are and where your passions lie, but you may not have found your chance to show the world that yet: Your news feed feels like an endless source of anxiety and inadequateness, as your friends and acquaintances post their new opportunities, hashtagging #blessed every time they can, while you’re still waiting to get your foot in the door.

4. You know your worth, but sometimes you have to lower your standards anyway: You didn’t get in at any of the top 5 companies you were hoping for. So you had to settle for your 10th choice when an opportunity eventually cropped up.

5. You have your own place, but you know you’re welcome back at your parents’ or have a friend you’d stay with… just in case something happens, right?

6. Everyone you know is dating somebody or has been in a long-term relationship, except you. But it’s better to be alone than settle for a random fish in an ocean of idiots, if you ask me.

7. If you are in a long-term relationship, certain anxieties jeopardize it: Marriage? Babies? Settling down? There are so many pressures on a relationship, and you just want to be able to enjoy it without your relatives asking if you’re planning your engagement party yet.

8. You’re not all that financially responsible, though you have the finances to work with, however minimal they may be. Purchasing something with your hard-earned money feels good. Saving for “someday” will feel better when someday rolls around and you desperately need the money more than you did another random piece of clothing.

9. You know what you want and what you deserve, but you don’t know where to start. You know you want to be happy, but you’re not sure what will get you there. You know you want to be traveling and learning and taking on new challenges, but you’re not quite sure how that will pan out. The point is that you know you want it, and that’s the first step.

10. You’re young enough to go after what you want, but you’re not yet motivated to really chase anything. You just want to stay a kid for a little bit longer, is there anything so wrong with that? You’ll figure it out when you’re meant to. It’s tough for everyone who’s trying to find their place in the world, let alone their own lives. But great things come to those who hope and do. As Maya Angelou puts it, “All great achievements require time.”