You know that meme? The one with the French bulldog completely splooted on the floor, captioned, “I Can’t Adult Today. Please Don’t Make Me Adult.” Yeah, that’s not just a cute dog, folks. That’s a self-portrait of most of us when the relentless wave of “adulting” crashes head-on with the quiet, persistent hum of anxiety.
For those of us who navigate the world with an anxious brain, “adulting” isn’t just about paying bills or doing laundry. It’s an Olympic sport where every minor task feels like a major hurdle. That unread email isn’t just an unread email; it’s a potential catastrophe waiting to unfold. The grocery store isn’t just a place to buy food; it’s a sensory minefield of decisions, crowds, and the constant fear of forgetting something crucial.
When people say, “Just get it done!” it sounds so simple. But for the anxious adult, “getting it done” often involves:
- Overthinking the task: Breaking it down into 37 sub-steps, each with its own potential pitfalls.
- Procrastinating due to overwhelm: Staring at the task until it becomes a mythical, unconquerable beast.
- Feeling guilty about procrastinating: Which, of course, adds more anxiety.
- Finally doing the task (or a fraction of it): Followed by exhaustion and self-critique.
It’s an exhausting cycle. The desire to simply curl up and become a “floor potato” (much like our Frenchie friend) isn’t laziness; it’s often a legitimate coping mechanism when your brain’s alarm system is stuck on “high alert.” We want to adult, we really do. We understand the consequences of not adulting. But sometimes, the sheer mental load of it all, amplified by anxiety, makes even the simplest action feel insurmountable.
So, if you’re reading this and nodding vigorously, know you’re not alone. It’s okay to have those days where you literally can’t adult. Give yourself a moment. Take a breath. Maybe even embrace your inner floor potato for a little while. The bills will still be there, the laundry will still exist, but sometimes, a brief surrender is the only way to recharge before you can bravely face the adult world once more.
And who knows? Maybe tomorrow, the dog will help. Probably not, but a person can dream.