Everyone wants to tell you that your twenties are supposed to be the best years of your life. But for so many young adults, that decade feels more like groping around this maze of life with a blindfold on than striding confidently toward success. The quarter-life crisis, as a result, has become progressively more of a thing, as the pressures of society, economic hardship and endless opportunities collide to create a cocktail of anxiety and despair. Unlike the generations that came before them, twenty-somethings in the modern world are presented with an vast number of possible lifestyles and life opportunities, including decisions about careers, relationships, lifestyles, identities. Recognizing that this ambiguity is common and knowledge about how to approach it can turn the sense of crises into an enriching opportunity for personal growth and self-discovery.
The quarter-life crisis usually hits when the regimented student life is over and real grown-up life kicks in. One day you are supposed to know what you want in life while trying to find out who you are as your on own person. This shift can induce feelings of inferiority, comparison with others and pressure to have your life sorted. Some handle coping by rushing headlong into distraction — binge-watching TV shows, checking Nba Odds Today (or some other professional sports odds) or engulfing themselves in side projects — and failing to understand that these are their desperate attempts to run from the deeper existential fear.
Managing with the New Norms
The twenty-something of today clearly has more pressure than those of earlier generations. Social media presents us with constant comparisons, economic pressures that make us feel like traditional markers of success (house ownership, a well-paid job) are out of reach, and the gig economy offers flexibility but not much security.
Typical quarter-life crisis symptoms:
- Paralysis of indecision when facing too many career and life choices
- Imposter syndrome at work and at play
- Social media, comparison anxiety and highlight reels
- Financial stress from student loans and entry-level wages
Strategies for Finding Your Direction
Instead of trying to rush into adulthood with a checklist of things to accomplish or lessons to learn, use this decade as an exploration. Try out numerous professions, relationships, lifestyles, without the necessity of feeling like “this is it.” This is especially true for young successful people who switched directions three, four or five times before they hit on the thing that really worked for them in their twenties.
Work on being the best writer/salesperson/person that you can be instead of focusing on desired results. Constant Self-Reflection or seek counseling or write things down Launch strong foundation of Self-Awareness through Reflection, Counseling, or writing. Invest in relationships and networks that will help you grow and try not to compare your timeline to anyone else’s.
Wrapping Up
The quarter-life crisis, though uncomfortable, often is a sign that you are to the point that you want to make sense of your life. In fact this self-consciousness is a strength, not a weakness. Your 20s are a time to explore, experiment, and occasionally make mistakes, in the process of constructing a life that reflects who you’re growing into. Embrace the fact that this is all just part of the ride, trust that self-rediscovery takes time, and remember that figuring it out along the way is just as important as being able to figure if all out in the first place.
