The entire point of The TEA is to continue to grow into better adults and all around better people.

There’s not silver bullet to personal growth, but we’ll highlight lessons learned in our steps to becoming better adults.

Plans vs. Goals

“When I was in high school, I had a plan for my future. When people would ask me what I wanted to do for my career or study in college, I would give an almost robotic answer, that would go something like this….”

Overcoming the Imposture Syndrome

“The first time I ever (legally) bought alcohol was a week after I got home from studying abroad in Italy. In Italy, 12-year-olds can drink fairly openly, so presenting an ID was never a problem. But coming back to America was a different story. After I had spent 30 minutes picking out champagne at a local liquor store (I had no idea what I was looking for) I approached the courter. I shakily gave the cashier my ID and although I was 21 years, 2 months and 13 days old you could see the nervous sweats coming off me from a mile away. I didn’t feel like I belonged there and I most definitely didn’t feel like I was old enough to be buying alcohol……”

Money, money, money must be funny, in a rich man’s world

“Coming out of college I was offered a job with a starting salary of $75,000 dollars. That’s more money than a lot of people 10+ years into their career make. I was living large! But when that job got in the way of my mental health and I was far from doing something I liked, let alone was passionate about, I had to quit. My current job is a dream. I love what I do and actually get excited (most of the time) to go into work. BUT I’m not making nearly as much as I used to and that transition has been a STRUGGLE……..”

Speak Your Needs

“Talking is easy; communication is hard.

Shockingly, at one point in my life, I was shy. Meeting new people as a small child, I would cower behind my mother’s legs, speak in a quavering voice if someone asked me a simple question, such as: “What is your name?”…….”

The Balancing Act

“A couple of weeks ago, while innocently playing basketball on a cold day, something unprecedented happened; I pulled a muscle in my back. Being the hypochondriac I am, I immediately assumed the worst: lung problems, kidney failure… you know the drill. After lying down for a couple of hours and taking Tylenol, I was confronted with the real issue; I was getting older, my muscles were getting tighter, and I needed to stretch more….”

What is “adulting” anyway?

“If you are close to my age, or know anyone who is close to my age, you’ve probably encountered the word “adulting”. Every time I pour myself a glass of wine and actually cook myself dinner (which, by the way, is not as frequent as it should be), I will praise myself for “adulting”, and, most likely, take a picture to document the momentous occasion. After all, did I really cook for myself if nobody sees the proof on social media? ….”