How To Push Through Your Quarter Life Crisis Like A Pro | Signs Of A Quarter-Life Crisis
This post is all about how to push through your quarter-life crisis.
If you’ve found your way to this post and think you’re having a quarter-life crisis, it’s very possible that’s true! I can’t guarantee that these tips will completely fix your quarter-life crisis, but they’ve helped me in times of uncertainty and I’m sure they’ll help you too!
So what is a Quarter-life Crisis?
Well according to Dictionary.com, it’s a crisis that may “involve anxiety over the direction and quality of one’s life.” Washington D.C. psychologist Nathan Gehlert told The Muse that it usually affects people in their 20s who are “highly driven and smart, but struggling because they feel they’re not achieving their potential or feeling they’re falling behind.” It also can look like suddenly feeling lost, scared, and/or confused. So before you start drowning yourself in self-help books, here are some tips to help deal with it.
Evaluate Your Environment and Who You Surround Yourself Around
I read this quote from the motivational speaker Bob Harrison and he said, “A shark in a fish tank will grow 8 inches, but in the ocean, it will grow to 8 feet or more. The shark will never outgrow its environment and the same is true about you.” Take it metaphorically instead of literally but the point is, look at the company you keep and see if they’re really the kind of people you want to rub off on you. Are you putting yourself in an environment that you’re able to grow and accomplish the things that you’ve always envisioned for yourself?
Redefine Success and What’s Important to You
It’s easy to think of success as achieving certain things like landing that 9-5 at that one really cool tech company you’ve always dreamed about. It could be getting married at 21 to your high school sweetheart and having $x in your joint savings account. But whatever it is, taking a step back and redefining what it means to you can give you some room to breathe in seasons of uncertainty. Don’t get me wrong it’s amazing to have these goals, but just be patient with yourself too and realize it might just come at a later time. Also, remember that we’re in a pandemic and soo many things have been put on pause!
Reach Out to Your Friends
NO ONE’s life is as rosy as it seems from the outside and most likely they may be going through it too! Reaching out to the people that know you best can give you a sense of solidarity and relief. And they’ll be able to see things about you that you can’t and help you snap out of it.
Don’t Compare Yourself to Others
This is soo overplayed (and a little cliche), but it’s something that a lot of us have to learn over time. The honest truth is that everyone is at different stages right now. Some are back at their parents house and unemployed while others have their own dream places and are happy at work. Breaking the habit of comparison can be pretty hard to do especially since social media is so in-your-face and pretty much a highlight reel of other people’s lives. But remember that moving at your own pace and staying in your own lane will work WONDERS. So just focus on your own goals!
Get a Planner & a Journal
Make an effort to plan and accomplish little goals every day and celebrate those victories. There’s probably something you can be doing no matter how small it is to reach those goals you’ve always dreamt about. It may be taking an extra certification course or just starting that project that’s always been in the back of your mind. Also, organizing your thoughts on paper and unloading them can clear your head. Whatever it is, just one step at a time. If you don’t want to buy a planner, I’ll send you a free one! Just sign up for my newsletter on the home page ;).
TL;DR: So many people go through quarter-life crises so you’re not alone. Come to terms with it being okay not having every single little thing figured out. Take things one step at a time to achieve your overall goals. But for now, get a journal, reach out to friends, evaluate the company you keep, & breathe!