My Mission
Becoming an adult is hard
If you’re like most 20-somethings, you probably have a few goals–a fulfilling career, love and maybe marriage, financial security, and perhaps eventually children.
When you were in school, you probably longed for the day you’d be totally in charge and nobody was going to tell you what to do next. But now that it’s here, figuring it all out for yourself can be overwhelming.
You want to create a life that has it all, but nobody’s explained exactly how to make that happen. Worse yet, everyone seems to act like adulting should be a breeze and shouldn’t involve struggles if you are doing it right.
I feel badly that young people today face more pressure than ever to have it all—even though nobody has ever explained how to pull that off.
Wouldn’t it be nice if someone spoke to you honestly about the things you were likely to encounter as a young adult instead of pretending like it will all be smooth sailing?
I'd like to help prepare you for
what to expect
When I was in my 20s, I was surprised to find that very few life experiences unfolded like I had imagined they would.
Yet when my three daughters started to head off to college, I noticed that most of the time when we discussed their futures, I talked about limitless opportunities and focused on the upside. I avoided talking about the struggles ahead because I didn’t want them to be discouraged. Or maybe I hoped that they’d somehow magically avoid all the pitfalls.
Then I read about a golden rule that marathon runners follow—if a runner asks you about the terrain on the trail ahead, you should let her know about tough hills and how far she still has to go. In other words, instead of resorting to happy talk and telling her it won’t be that hard, you should be honest.
So I decided to be more open about the challenges and dilemmas that come along with being a grown-up. I started sharing the non-airbrushed version of my experiences as a young adult and telling them all of the things I wished my mom or somebody had told me. I'm happy to do the same for you.
Me with the original audience I told things to, along with the guy who made that audience possible
Things Your Mom Should Have Told You
Nobody is ever totally prepared for launch into the wonderful world of adulthood. That’s why it seems like every time you turn around there’s another situation that nobody’s briefed you about.
TYMSHTY’s mission is to fill in those gaps with trustworthy guidance you can rely on.
Every edition of features a Wisdom Snapshot. Topics range from Love and Relationships to Career to The Big Picture to Little Life Lessons to How to Get Your Shit Together.
Look what's already in the Things Your Mom Should Have Told You Wisdom Snapshot Archive:
Sensible advice to consider when confronted with dilemmas
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What do you do when you discover a coworker makes more than you?
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How do you improve your chances of ending your dating career for good?
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Should you hold out for a job that’s just right or take a less-than-perfect one?
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What do you do when your friends’ weddings are costing you a lot of money?
Guidance for handling situations that tend to crop up in your 20s
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How do you get comfortable with a life that’s going to be under construction for a while?
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What do you do when you feel like you don’t have a squad anymore?
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What do you say to someone who has just experienced a tragedy or loss?
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How do you handle it when the plus-ones add up to a whole new equation for your squad?
Food for thought about the Big Picture
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Is hustle culture the secret to success or the gateway to a toxic mindset?
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Why is homeownership worth it, and how do you prepare to buy a home?
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How do you maintain cordial relationships with relatives of opposing viewpoints, and why is it worth it to do so?
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How do you know when your significant other is The One?
The 411 on things they need to know to fend for themselves
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What should you do to build a solid financial foundation for your big adult life?
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How do you file a tax return and what’s up with all the mysterious deductions on your paystub?
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How do you build a credit history and handle credit cards responsibly?
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What happens when you turn 26 and have to get your own health insurance?
Reading Things Your Mom Should Have Told You weekly may help reduce anxiety about adulting
Things Your Mom Should Have Told You is a weekly online newsletter that gives you the 411 on everything you need to know about navigating young adulthood
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5 Things I Wish Somebody Told Me about What to Expect When
I Became a Grown-up
Navigating young adulthood isn’t as easy as everyone pretends that it is. Nobody explains how you actually go about building a life. I'm happy to share some insights that might save you some trouble or at least make you feel a little better prepared for the inevitable ruts on the road of life.
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Being a grown-up involves a lot of improv. Life is a lot of making it up as you go along. You’ve probably found yourself in situations wondering why your mom (or someone else) didn’t cover how to handle it. Subscribe to Things Your Mom Should Have Told You, and I'll drop some wit and wisdom in your inbox every Tuesday.
Contact Me
I love to hear from readers—it helps make all of those hours at the keyboard worthwhile. Maybe you have an adulting dilemma? Tell me the things you wonder about or wish somebody would explain. Drop me a line at Joanne_McHugh@msn.com.
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What good are throwback photos if you don't pull them out once in a while?