The Small Wins Keeping Me Sane in Adulthood

This post is all about celebrating the small wins of adulthood- and why they matter.

Let’s be real: adulting is a marathon, not a sprint. There are days when just taking out the trash feels like a major accomplishment. But here’s the thing: I have learned to celebrate those little moments because they are what keep me going when I feel like I am not doing enough or cannot accomplish it all.

I am the queen of thinking I can accomplish more than I actually can in a time period, and sometimes, I tend to feel discouraged when my to-do list is not finished. However, something I have learned in adulthood is that perspective is everything. You can choose how you look at things. I can choose to either look at everything I have not finished or look at how much I accomplished and feel fulfilled that I did what I could in the time I had.

So, I want to share some of the small wins that have helped me remind I am doing okay, even when it feels like life is kicking my butt.

Win #1: Successfully Meal Prepping for the Week

I am not one of those people who can meal prep every single meal. There are a couple of reasons for this: I never have enough time for this, how am I supposed to know what I want to eat for every single meal of the week, and I always tend to waste food when I have done this in the past.

I have started trying to meal prep for one or two meals, and these usually are my breakfast and lunch. At the very least, I need to do my lunch for the week because that is usually the one meal I consume outside of my house, so I cannot really cook it then. I really like doing this because it helps me not eat out at lunch, which in turn saves me time and money. I can eat lunch whenever I want to at work, and I do not have to leave and spend money on food.

I would love to say breakfast meal prep happens every week, but it does not, and that is okay. I try to make breakfast things in bulk that I can freeze for several weeks, and this allows me to not have to meal prep every week for it.

For example, one of my favorite things to freeze is egg bites. They are super easy for me to take to work and keep in the freezer, and then when I get to work, I can just heat two up. These are good for me cause I put some vegetables in mine, and I know I am going to eat a balanced breakfast when I make those.

So, the small win? Doing anything that makes my meals easier for the week. Maybe I will have lunch and breakfast, or maybe I will just have lunch. Having anything prepped, even if it is something very simple, is one less thing I have to stress about during the week. And for me, that is a win.

Win #2: Keeping Up with Laundry (Kind of)

In case you have not figured it out yet in your adulting journey. Laundry is neverending. There is always laundry to do. However, that is just a reality I have had to accept, and keeping up with it is something that I consider a small win.

How do I do this? Well, I do not really have a laundry day. I try to do a load of laundry every day or at least every other day. Does this mean I probably do more loads than necessary? Maybe, but I never really have to spend a full day doing my laundry.

Something I have added that makes it a bit easier when I go to do laundry is I bought a little laundry sorter to put in my bathroom, and this is so helpful cause I can sort my colors as I go. I take off my blue jeans; they go in the dark basket. I used to put it all together, and then I would have to take about 10 minutes to sort just to start one load of laundry.

One thing I do hate is folding laundry. This is a pretty common hatred in the laundry world, but I try to make it fun. I try to watch Netflix or listen to a podcast while this might not be the most efficient way to do it, it does not make it quite as miserable. But I am getting it done, and that is what matters.

Laundry is not always the funniest thing, but it is something that is necessary. I have had to figure out what works for me, and doing a little bit here and there definitely helps me, not have to be chained by my washing machine on Sundays.

Win #3: Having a No-Spend Day

I have some big financial goals for myself, so I keep myself on a pretty strict budget. In order to stick to this budget, no spend days are essential. I love a good no-spend day; it makes me feel accomplished. I love it when I eat every meal at home, and I do no online shopping. This means I am saving money and one step closer, hopefully, to my financial goals. It also just makes me feel like a successful adult.

I can be a big spender, but hopefully, I am breaking this one, no spending one day at a time. It has never been easier to spend money from your phone, everywhere you look someone is trying to sell you something. So, having a no-spend day is harder than it has ever been when you have to fight temptation all day, every day. So, I view my no-spend days as pretty big, small wins. I have had one as I am sitting here writing this.

Win #4: Making My Own Coffee at Home

This is a new small win that I have just developed, but I love it so much. I have become such a coffee drinker since entering my adulting era. I used to drink coffee only out of necessity, and while that’s still true, I find myself needing it more often now. So, I have been loving making my own coffee at home and making it feel like a coffee shop experience.

Do not get me wrong; I love Starbucks. However, that is expensive, and I never have time to go there in the mornings before work. Sooo, I just recently bought a Nespresso Machine, and I LOVE IT! It makes the espresso shots, and it is so so easy. My machine also came with a milk frother, which means I can make a latte in about 3 minutes. I just brew an espresso shot and forth some milk, and wah-wah, I have an amazing homemade latte that tastes just like I got it at a coffee shop.

This might be a really small win to you, but I have been loving taking the time to enjoy my morning coffee, and if I can make it the same or better at home, then it is a win-win situation. I still have a lot to learn about becoming my own barista, but my Nespresso machine is a great start, and I consider it a win nonetheless.

Win #5: Keeping My Apartment Picked Up

I wish I could say I am the cleanest person, and I want to be, but I just never seem to have enough time. However, keeping my apartment picked up and clear of messes is considered a small win for me.

In adulthood, I have learned there is always going to be something I want to clean or need to clean, but I would run myself crazy trying to do it all. So, I really try to keep it picked up, especially throughout the week. What does picked up mean to me? Well, no dishes in the sink, clothes put away, and no, just huge messes.

I try never to go to bed with a dirty kitchen or with just a mess that is going to hinder me the next day. Does this happen every day, absolutely not! I am not perfect, but these days, I feel like a million bucks, so that is a very big, small win for me and something I try to consistently do because it just makes my day-to-day life easier.

Why You Should Find the Small Wins in Adulthood?

Life can be overwhelming, but finding joy in the small wins keeps us grounded and motivated. There are going to be days when your to-do list goes unfinished or you do not get to any of it at all, and that is okay! You have to step back and think about the small things. You got safely to and from work, you ate today, you showered today, you brushed your teeth, etc.

You can spend so much time in adulthood thinking about all the things you did not accomplish or how you fell short today, and to be frank; you will be miserable! This has been a mindset shift for me, to be perfectly honest. I am trying to do so much all the time, and I get so frustrated sometimes cause it can be just a struggle to get the bare minimum done all the time. I have had to learn the hard way that I have to give myself some grace, and learning to celebrate my small wins has really helped me!

So, I challenge you to try to find the small wins in your life. You will be much happier and not be so hard on yourself! I am not perfect at this, but each day, I try to get better. So, know that if you are struggling to feel like you are kicking ass in adulthood, then you are not alone, and not every day are you going to feel like you are kicking ass, but you are, and you just have to change your mindset.

Remember, every small win is a step forward. Celebrate them, and give yourself the grace you deserve!

What are your small wins this week? Share them in the comments – I would love to celebrate with you!