5 Ways To Get Past Baggage + Tackle Adult Things
Disclosure: This post reflects a sponsored editorial partnership with Ladder. All thoughts and opinions about getting over emotional baggage so you can deal with adult things are, of course, my own.
Jon and I joke periodically about how we just need to make it until Violet turns 18 without anything happening to us. I mean, obviously, we want to live well past Violet’s 18th birthday, but the thing about having kids 6.5 years apart (Laurel is 13 and Violet is 6) and helping them with their everyday tactical and emotional needs is that we have a fresh lens on: a) how much little kids need you, and 2) how teens still need you in crucial ways, even though they are more independent in general. I’m sure this is totally related to the fact that since becoming parents, we’ve become really committed to getting our adult ducks in a row by tackling adult things like wills and life insurance and retirement accounts.
Asha and I will be talking more about this topic on a forthcoming Edit Your Life episode, though we will dig into some of the specific tactical adult ducks we recommend tackling. Today I wanted to offer some inspiration and support to help parents from a more emotional standpoint. Because I have found that one reason adult things feel burdensome is due to emotional baggage. Here are 5 key ways to get past baggage and tackle adult things:
1. Look at the New Year as an opportunity
We’re right about at the time where many a New Year’s resolution has fizzled out. And though that can be a source of disappointment, I think it’s more productive to look at any resolutions that you’re done with (intentionally or not!) as an opportunity to work on something else.
2. Shift your perspective
The reality is, a lot of people get freaked out thinking about stuff like estate planning and life insurance because it’s related to death. Instead, I recommend looking at these practical matters as a way to protect your family and your assets. I will admit that I was on my Mom’s case to get a will for some time; it completely freaked me out that she did not have this set up! I told her that I personally didn’t care where her assets went, I just wanted to make sure she was the one in charge of that by virtue of documentation. I was immensely relieved when she finally got her paperwork squared away.
3. Remember that not all emotionally hard things are actually time consuming
As someone who touches 5 businesses every day, I get a lot of questions about how to get stuff done. And one of the things I come back to repeatedly is that oftentimes, things on our to-do list don’t actually take that long, we just get bogged down because of emotional weight. I frequently recommend tackling the hardest thing on your to-do list first, and a lot of times it’s not time consuming. For example, the first will I created I did online (seriously). When our assets became a little more involved (when we bought a house), we hired an attorney, but even then, we communicated everything digitally and then had one meeting to sign things. NOT HARD. And I will say plainly that I was pretty blown away when I learned that with Ladder life insurance, you can answer a few quick questions, get a quote, apply, and get an instant decision on life insurance in less than 10 minutes. I mean, SERIOUSLY...that is literally less time than it takes me to eat a burrito. This is an example of the Internet doing what it’s supposed to do in terms of efficiency!
4. Set a goal and tackle it immediately
Now that you’ve stopped being hard on yourself about your fizzled out New Year’s resolution, shifted your perspective about life planning, and realized that adult business can be tackled pretty efficiently, it’s time to set a goal and tackle it immediately. Put it on your to-do list or block out a window on your calendar so you can take the first step. I swear you will feel a huge weight lifted by doing something.
5. Talk about it with friends
I am super into talking about these typically taboo-ridden topics with friends. I have found through pretty much all of parenting that if you are fretting or thinking about something, it’s highly likely someone you know is too. The more we all talk and normalize important adult business, the better!
OK, friends. I totally want you to go slay that adult business to-do list! Because once you have the peace of mind about having your adult ducks in a row, you’ll be able to enjoy the beautiful chaos around you that much more.
About Ladder Life Insurance
Ladder is life insurance built to be instant, simple and smart. We offer direct-to-consumer, fully-underwritten, term life insurance online. We do not charge policy fees and we do not employ commissioned sales agents. You can apply for life insurance coverage and get an instant decision. You can also decrease your coverage online over time, with no fees or penalties, so you can adjust your coverage as your family’s life needs change. Visit ladderlife.com to learn more.
Featured photo by Jess Watters on Unsplash