by Lauren Goodman | Aug 7, 2026 | Therapy For Young Adults
How to Cope With Anxiety About Adulting
Adulthood comes with a lot of freedom, but it also comes with bills, responsibilities, and big decisions. If you’re feeling anxiety about adulting, you’re not alone. Many young adults worry about making the wrong choices or wonder if they’re truly ready to be on their own. The good news is that these feelings are completely normal, and there are healthy ways to manage them.
If you’re getting ready to venture out on your own for the first time, you don’t have to let your worries take over. Here are a few ways to cope and feel more confident as you enter this new stage of life.
Acknowledge How You’re Feeling
The first step is to recognize how you’re feeling. Adulting can be overwhelming, and it’s okay to admit that. Give yourself permission to experience those emotions without judging yourself. Remember, you’re not the only one feeling this way. Many young adults are navigating the same fears and uncertainties.
Break Big Tasks Into Smaller Steps
One of the best ways to reduce anxiety about adulting is to break large responsibilities into smaller, more manageable tasks. Whether you’re creating your first budget, figuring out insurance paperwork, or simply grocery shopping on your own, taking things one step at a time can make everything feel much less overwhelming.
Try making a to-do list and celebrating each small accomplishment. Every task you complete is another step toward becoming more confident and independent.
Prioritize Self-Care to Manage Anxiety About Adulting
When life gets busy, self-care is often the first thing to disappear. However, taking care of your physical and mental health is one of the best ways to manage stress and anxiety.
Aim to get enough sleep, eat balanced meals, and make time for activities you enjoy. Whether it’s reading, exercising, spending time outdoors, or practicing mindfulness, caring for yourself helps you handle life’s challenges more effectively.
Set Realistic Expectations
No one has adulthood completely figured out, even if it seems that way on social media. Give yourself permission to learn as you go. Life rarely follows a perfect plan. Stay open to new opportunities, learn from mistakes, and remember that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Learn Basic Financial Skills
Money is one of the biggest sources of anxiety for many young adults. Learning the basics of budgeting, saving, and managing your finances can help you feel more in control. There are plenty of helpful resources available, from budgeting apps to free online financial education. Small steps today can help you build confidence and reduce financial stress in the future.
Celebrate Your Progress
It’s easy to focus on everything you still need to learn, but don’t forget to notice how far you’ve already come. Celebrate the small wins, whether it’s paying a bill on time, cooking your own meals, sticking to a budget, or handling a challenge on your own. Those little victories build confidence over time.
Seek Support When Anxiety About Adulting Feels Overwhelming
You don’t have to figure everything out by yourself. Talking with trusted friends, family members, mentors, or a therapist can help you gain perspective and feel less alone. If anxiety begins to interfere with your daily life or feels too overwhelming to manage on your own, therapy can provide practical tools and support as you navigate this transition.
You’re Learning, Not Failing
Adulting comes with challenges, but it also comes with opportunities to grow. No one becomes a confident adult overnight. Every new responsibility you take on helps you build resilience and life skills. If you’re struggling with anxiety as a young adult, know that you don’t have to face it alone. Therapy for young adults can help you build confidence, manage stress, and feel more prepared for whatever comes next.
Take a deep breath. You’ve got this.
Helping teens grow and families improve connection,
Lauren Goodman, MS, MFT
by Lauren Goodman | May 20, 2026 | Therapy For Young Adults
Understanding Abusive Teen Dating Relationships
It’s scary, but true. Sometimes teenagers end up in abusive teen dating relationships. Most parents tell their kids that if someone ever hurts them physically, the relationship should end immediately. The hard part is that teens often believe the other person will change.
Why Teens Stay in Abusive Teen Dating Relationships
I once worked with a client who struggled with this very issue. Her boyfriend repeatedly promised he would change after hurting her, but the behavior continued.
Eventually, she ended the relationship. Even then, she still tried to protect him. She felt ashamed that she had allowed things to go on for so long, and she didn’t want her parents to hate him. This is one reason abusive teen dating relationships can be so confusing. Teens usually care deeply about the person hurting them.
The Progression of Abusive Relationships
It’s easy to judge these situations from the outside. Many parents assume their teen would never end up in an abusive relationship. The reality is that abuse usually does not begin suddenly. Often, it starts with a relationship that feels intense and exciting. The other person wants to spend all their time with your teenager. At first, this can feel flattering.
Over time, though, things begin to change. The boyfriend or girlfriend may become upset when your teen spends time with friends. Slowly, your teenager may begin pulling away from other relationships. Next, there come some very intense arguments. However, most of the time the relationship still seems really good. That’s what makes abusive teen dating relationships difficult to recognize at first.
When abuse happens for the first time, both teens are often shocked. They both truly believe it will never happen again. Afterward, things may even feel very loving for a while. However, after a period of happiness the abuse happens again. Meanwhile, your teenager may feel isolated from friends and emotionally dependent on the relationship. Most begin believing they would be completely alone without the other person.
Signs of Abusive Teen Dating Relationships
As a parent, there are several warning signs you can watch for.
- Your teenager stops spending time with friends
- Their moods suddenly change
- They seem more withdrawn or isolated
- Their relationship has very intense highs and lows
- You notice they have frequent arguments followed by apologies
- Your teen becomes secretive about the relationship
- You notice unexplained bruises or injuries
While bruises can happen from sports or accidents, repeated injuries should always be taken seriously.
How Parents Can Help
One of the best things parents can do is stay involved and aware. Encourage your teenager to maintain healthy friendships and spend time with people outside the relationship. Group settings can also help reduce isolation.
Pay attention to changes in your teen’s mood and behavior. If your teenager suddenly seems withdrawn, anxious, or disconnected, it’s worth gently exploring whether the dating relationship could be part of the problem.
Being Aware
Being a parent can feel frightening sometimes. I don’t say this to create fear, but to raise awareness. Abusive teen dating relationships do exist, and they often develop slowly over time. The earlier parents recognize the warning signs, the easier it is to step in and help.
Helping teens grow and families improve connection,
Lauren Goodman, MS, MFT
by Lauren Goodman | Nov 20, 2025 | Therapy For Young Adults
Wanting to Quit When You’re Unhappy with Your First Real Job
Being unhappy with your first real job isn’t uncommon. Lots of people struggle with this. After all, it’s a big adjustment. Work is time-consuming and sometimes boring. It’s normal to want to quit. However, this doesn’t mean you should.
Try Waiting Six Months
Oftentimes, jobs can feel pretty miserable at the start. However, try staying with it for six months. Many times, it gets easier once you’ve settled in. You might even end up enjoying it! The important thing is to give yourself some time to adjust before giving up on the job.
Why Your First Job Feels Disappointing
Usually when young adults feel unhappy with their first real job, it’s because the job wasn’t what they expected. When you first get hired, you are assigned the most basic, boring tasks. For example, say you want to be a nurse. When you’re first hired, you likely will be doing a lot of basic procedures. This is the time when a lot of people would say, “Maybe this job isn’t for me. It’s really boring. Maybe I should quit.” However, don’t do this. If you stick it out for a while and work hard, you’ll almost certainly graduate to more interesting tasks.
Keeping a Positive Attitude When Unhappy with Your First Real Job
I know this is cliche, but it really does help. When you’re faced with a boring task, try to be grateful for it. After all, you are getting paid, and many people don’t have jobs at all. Simply trying to be grateful for things you don’t like can actually make them a little bit less intolerable.
You Can Do It!
Stick with the job for six months, remember you’ll soon be assigned more interesting tasks, and stay positive. If you still don’t like with your job after doing all these things, you can try looking at other career options. However, chances are, you probably won’t end up minding the job after all. Most of all, remember that you’ve got this.
Helping teens grow and families improve connection,
Lauren Goodman, MS, MFT
