We’ve probably all used the phrase “adulting is hard.” Probably an awful lot over the last two years. And that’s because being an adult is pretty darn hard. Way to state the obvious, Kristen.
Okay, so yeah, it is obvious, but what isn’t (and wasn’t) too many of us, is what adulting actually entails. It’s not just the whole go to school, get a job, find a partner, have kids… There’s a whole lot more, as we seasoned folks (how do you like that?) have come to learn, but… what if you could have learned it sooner? Understanding the need for community and mentors. Realizing the power of gratitude. Dedicating time and energy to self-care and boundary setting.
Well, that’s where Julie Lythcott-Haims’ new book Your Turn: How to Be an Adult comes in. You might know Julie from her first book, “How to Raise an Adult,” which was a New York Times bestseller and was the antidote to overparenting culture.
Thankfully, she’s back with a sort of follow-up to that one, aimed at older Gen-Z and millennials (and hey, Gen-Xers too), with a super helpful guidebook to what it means to be an adult. It’s supportive, thoughtful, and inspiring, whether you need it for yourself, or you’ve got a budding adult in your life.
In this episode, we chat about everything from why we need to community (and how to find one when you’re in your 40s) to the power of gratitude (and why Julie considers it to be a superpower), and how we can translate this knowledge into our parenting approach (including her super-smart ARC acronym you’ll want to hear).
I hope you love this episode as much as I enjoyed recording it with Julie, who by the way, actually has a phone number hotline you can call.
Our Cool Picks of the Week
Julie: TikTok, which is full of some fantastic parenting, self-care, and inspiring content (just be sure to curate your feed carefully). I love how Julie consumes it too.
Kristen: Geoguessr! I’m having so much fun playing this with my teenager!
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