I still remember when I was younger, I always wished I could grow up faster. Back then, being an adult looked so nice. Adults could buy whatever they wanted. Go anywhere they wanted. Nobody asked them for permission anymore. To me, having a job meant having money, and having money meant freedom.
I used to think,
"Once I start working, I can finally buy all the things I want and travel around the world."
Looking back now, really such a naive kid. Nobody told me that money also comes together with responsibilities. Now when salary comes in, the money already has its own destination before I can even think about myself. Bills. Commitments. Another commitments. Another another commitments. Unexpected expenses. Sometimes you work so hard the whole month just to see most of it disappear within a few days.
As kids, we only saw adults spending money. We never saw the stress behind earning it. And honestly, I think that is the biggest scam of adulthood.
Nowadays my mind is rarely quiet. There is always something to think about. Work, future, commitments, whether I am doing enough in life, whether I am falling behind compared to other people. And as usual, I always look at others more than myself. Someone is travelling. Someone already bought a house. Someone seems successful. Someone looks happy and stable. Meanwhile I am here still trying to figure life out one step at a time.
But the older I get, the more I realise maybe a lot of adults are actually struggling quietly too. Some people are just better at hiding it. People still go to work, still laugh, still post nice photos online, but deep down everyone is carrying something. Stress. Fear. Exhaustion. Uncertainty. Maybe that is why adulthood feels so tiring sometimes not only physically but mentally.
There are days where I really miss being a child. Not because childhood was perfect, but because life felt lighter back then. Happiness was simple. Sleep came easily. You didn’t constantly worry about money, future plans, or whether your life was moving in the “right direction.”
Funny how life changes us. When we were younger, we wanted to grow up quickly because we thought adulthood meant freedom. Now as adults, sometimes all we want is a peaceful mind. And honestly, I don’t think I want a super luxurious life anymore like I thought I did when I was younger.
I think now I just want a lighter life. Not a life without dreams. I still have dreams. I still want to travel, experience new things, and build a good future for myself. But maybe now I no longer want to chase things until I lose myself completely along the way.
Maybe peace is also a dream. A life where I can sleep peacefully. A life where my mind doesn’t feel heavy all the time. A life where I can enjoy small moments again without constantly worrying about the next thing.
I guess growing up slowly teaches you that happiness is not always about having more. Sometimes, happiness is simply feeling lighter inside.
Miss Ssoh (wanna.sbc@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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