7 Necessary Things To Tell Yourself When You’re In Your 20s And Still Live At Home With Your Parents

1. You are not alone.

Plenty of people are living with their parents into their twenties. It’s not just you.

2. It’s okay.

It’s okay to not be paying for rent or groceries. It’s okay to spend some time with your family. It’s okay to save some money and look for a new job. There’s nothing wrong with it.

3. You’re still an adult.

Your parents may treat you like you’re still in high school, but they’re parents. It’s what they do. But you’re twenty-something and you have your freedom, you just have to assert it while being respectful of them and their house. You can do what you want, but maybe just tip-toe when you come home at 3 a.m.

4. You don’t have to be in a rut.

Even if you’re between jobs, don’t let this get to you. Take the time to work out, apply for jobs, and see where you want life to take you. Just because you have no real reason to get out of bed does not give you a reason to stay in it until noon every day.

5. People aren’t talking about it.

None of your friends or people from high school you saw at the supermarket are making jokes at your expense. People know that you’re not a loser, and they probably know a few other people in the same situation.

6. You are not a burden to them.

Your parents love you, and they’re grateful to have you home (even if they aren’t great at expressing that). Before you’re out on your own calling them once a week, they can appreciate you being in their kitchen and coming home late for a little longer, and so can you. Take out the trash and try to sit with them for dinner, one day you’ll miss this time.

7. It’s not forever.

You will find a job, a place to move, an apartment, a better situation. You aren’t going to die in your parents basement, even if it looks that way now. This is only temporary, and soon you’ll be packing to leave home again.