When we reach at age 20s or 30s, we always feel something off, feel unsatisfied in life, and feel stuck and unsure. When we have a job to do, stress and depression are our best friends. That drives us to ask ourselves "What am I doing with my life?" or "What's the point of everything?" Congratulations, you are not alone.
That is a normal thing to feel, is what we call a quarter-life crisis. The typical person who struggles with a quarter-life crisis is highly driven and smart. However, transition times can lead to a prolonged state of unseen, resulting in uncertainty, emotional pain, and questioning.
It's common for young adults to experience a quarter-life crisis. Similar to the midlife crisis we see in middle-aged people down the line, young adults are quarter-life crisis. Although the midlife crisis is more recognised, it's not more common. After all, a midlife is more widely accepted, while a quarter-life crisis is often belittled.
Our society expects to know what we want to do with the rest of our lives before we've even had a chance to get to know ourselves well enough. It's through the process of making our own decisions, working various jobs, getting into different relationships, and figuring out who we are as a person.
Once we understand who we are and what we value, then we can start to make decisions. Unfortunately, our society has it backward, which is why young people are feeling lost and unsure. That is where the quarter-life crisis begins.
There are some signs of a quarter-life crisis that most youngsters feel at least once in their lives.
Difficulty making decisions. The pressure to make a decision can ironically make it even harder to do. A person may be exploring many different options, or experience an overanalysis of the pros and cons of these various options. Until the point where the person has a really hard time moving forward.
Depression and anxiety. Quarter-life crises are often accompanied by feelings of depression and anxiety. Depression can lead to a lack of motivation to do one's work or not fulfilling one's job duties. On the other hand, anxiety is unsure and uncertain of what we see forward.
Feeling directionless. Going back to difficulty making decisions, feeling directionless is also common in a quarter-life crisis. This period in one's life is full of confusion, uncertainty, and a sense of stuckness. Feeling emptiness and lack of motivation are all symptomatic of a quarter-life crisis.
To overcome this crisis, being patient is important. We don't need to have it all figured out. It is hard as it may be to accept but that is the must. Another thing to do is try new things. Give ourselves permission to try things, or try different careers. This is how we will figure out what works and what doesn't.
When we are going through a quarter-life crisis, we are not alone. Support and small tips are always available, and we will get through this. It may take time and effort, but the lesson we'll learn about quarter-life crisis will be our step to the next fresh step in adult life.
Thank you for your time, hopefully, this article is very helpful for you and as always, have a lovely day.
References
- Are You Going Through A Quarter-Life Crisis? What Experts Want You To Know (no date) mindbodygreen. Available at: https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/quarter-life-crisis.
- Baum, E. (2023) What Is a Quarter-Life Crisis?, 7 Summit Pathways. Available at: https://7summitpathways.com/blog/what-is-a-quarter-life-crisis/.
- Brigham, T. (2023) Signs You’re Having A Quarter-Life Crisis (And What To Do About It), Forbes. Forbes Magazine. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tessbrigham/2022/06/07/signs-youre-having-a-quarter-life-crisis-and-what-to-do-about-it/?sh=66cf51416b2e.
- Kwakyi, G. (2023) At what age can you have a Quarter-Life Crisis? How to tell if you’re having a QLC, The Musing Mind. The Musing Mind. Available at: https://www.gabekwakyi.com/essays/who-am-i-at-25-35-this-is-the-quarter-life-crisis-third-life-crisis-age.
Comments
Post a Comment