As a child, I knew I was a child. I understood adult things but I always wanted to remain a child. My mom always shared bill and financial concerns with me so I appreciated being bill-free because that meant I had more money to buy purses! I started to grow up when that became the only option, still not "grown" yet. But my peers amaze me everyday with how grown up they are! I know I'm not the only one who thought it was a bit scary when the kids I went to school with all of a sudden became parents, married, pastors, convicts, rappers and even bums. When did this become real life?

It took me awhile to fathom the thought of becoming an adult but after I did, my perspective of everything changed. I started thinking like an adult. Don't get me wrong, I in no way have the keys to success for "adulting" but I make a conscious effort and I think that more conscious efforts will completely transform my generation.

As young adults and role models for the children, we have to take the time to consider how to excel from our current situations and create better opportunities for those after us. Voting is stressed tremendously to the younger generation but voter turnout still remains the same. Birth control and condoms are offered free of charge but unplanned pregnancy has always been rapid. Voting and sex are just two of the many issues that are commonly neglected amongst youth, the list goes on.

Becoming an adult ultimately means accepting responsibility for my own life and the consequences that follow my actions. Adulthood is not about getting into the grown up clubs or purchasing beer and liquor. It is not centered around becoming popular on social media. We so often get caught up in the moments. The fun moments should not last forever. There must be moments for examination and preparation. According to Socrates, an unexamined life isn't even worth living. Basically we can't waste our whole life away stuck in the moment having fun or "turning up."

We must work hard and get good jobs. We have to save so we can send our babies to college. We need 401k plans so we won't have to sit on our porch and wait for the government to pay us small funds when we're elders. We need health insurance to keep our families healthy. We have to pay taxes on our properties, vehicles and whatever else the government collects money on. We have to make contributions to the community! Our turn up must match our timesheets.

I know most people my age are thinking "I have time for this" or "I'm just trying to live my life." But what happens when we're 30 and still live the same way we did at 20? Following our cousins, siblings or even parents who we clearly see struggling should result in us choosing to not make the same mistakes or be bound to the same lifestyle. We are the game changers. The struggle becomes motivation to work hard. The hard work results in the hard play. Today just consider how hard you can play (like a kid again) if you put in the work (like an adult). It all starts with one step, one thought. "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things." 1 Corinthians 13:11