When we were young we all dreamt and longed to grow up so we could be like so and so, and to also have a job and a car and a house. Now what’s so puzzling about this is that we thought this was easy. We thought at 21 you would just have to find a job and probably be a doctor or a lawyer. And by that age you would be married, have children, a house and a car. Our conscious mind wasn’t well aware or even alert about what growing up meant or was about at all!

Well let me say this: growing up is indeed a challenge! The things that we face as grown-ups are things that we never imagined or even thought of as young children. The carefreeness is now gone, where to? We don’t know but it has faded away. Now it’s time for reality and it’s time for upping the game and working to secure the bag. It doesn’t matter whether you are doing that through varsity, work or hustling but you just have to be doing something to show that you are building a future for yourself. The pressure can be tiring, trust me I know, but we have to push through.

Parents are also expecting to see you flourishing, they might not say this verbally but you can see it through their eyes and that will give you a little fright because it means you gotta keep working till they see something. Now this will make you want to go apply for a job at Shoprite or a retail clothing store whilst studying because you actually feel like it’s time you started contributing at home. This is called – anxiety.

What you need to do is to calm yourself down, and know in the near future things will be okay. Things will be way better and when saying those words to yourself, speak into existence, believe in yourself and in your words.

Growing up was never easy but you can conquer the anxiety that comes with growing up by actually smiling the worry away. Practise taking a deep breath and then SMILE. I’m telling you things will indeed get better. This is better than drinking your problems away because alcohol can make you stagnant. You will continue to work but you won’t see progress. Don’t trust alcohol to be your coping mechanism, trust in God and trust in reading or music rather than applying for a free phuza-face. This too shall pass!

Tell us: Do you agree that growing up is a challenge?