Because there has to be a first.

How do you know if you're good at being an adult? Seriously, some of us have to be better at it than others. The essence of my formative years was an aspiration to be better than everyone else - surely that has to carry into life as a grownup. My teachers proved I was good at school by giving me gold stars and A+'s, measuring me against my peers to gauge skill level and likelihood of future success. This continued throughout college, where countless essays, nerve-wracking tests, and the obligatory study abroad program proved my aptitude for being a college student. Upon graduation from an Honors College with my BA in hand, I decided to begin adulthood in San Francisco. No one graded that decision. I've since written for a lesbian magazine, managed a sports bar attached to an arcade, handled community engagement for a micro-volunteering startup, reviewed social media applications as they apply to nonprofits, and sold iPad point of sale systems for restaurants. Aside from a trip to Hawaii and the occasional bonus, I haven't received affirmation that I'm good at being a grown up, let alone the best. I'm not married or engaged, I have no children, I still haven't identified my dream job, and I'm addicted to the unhealthy act of measuring my success by that of my peers. This is not what 26 looked like to my younger self. Naturally, my lost and confused soul turns to my peers for answers; I've measured myself against them in the past, wouldn't the same hold true now? This self assessment has taught me that many others in my generation are in the same boat as I am, probably rowing their paddles on the same side of the canoe as it travels in a perpetual circle.

Keeping this short, sweet, and direct, this blog will serve a few purposes.

• First, and selfishly, I miss writing for other people. This blog will provide a creative outlet for my (organized) thoughts. I want to create value with each post and will work hard to distinguish between public material and that suitable for my journal.
• Second, I want to start a meaningful conversation about what it means to be a successful adult, and how to know if you're doing it right. Trust me, I understand how vague and ridiculous that statement is, but I know it's crossed your mind once or two hundred times. Let's talk about it!
• Third, I know there is no distinct answer to my question at the start of this post, but I know there are millions of opinions. Whether we're talking personal or professional life, I want to develop a tool box of resources, thoughts, opinions, and scenarios that will help us all reconcile the fact that we may never know if we're doing it right. We will, however, know that we're not the only ones doing it differently.

As a recovering perfectionist, getting this first post published has been one of the toughest things I've done in awhile. I appreciate your patience as I find my footing and ask that you consider this blog a startup. I'm excited to see which direction this takes and look forward to growing with you along the way.