Quarter Life Crisis
Individual Counseling | Columbia, MO
“I want to convince you that thirty is not the new twenty. Not because twentysomethings don’t or shouldn’t settle down later than their parents did... I want to persuade you that thirty is not the new twenty precisely because we settle down later than we used to. What this has done is made the twenties not an irrelevant downtime but a developmental sweet spot that comes only once.”
Identity crises can happen at any point in our life. While we frequently hear about existential crises and mid-life crises, one of the less well-known types of crises is what we call the quarter-life crisis.
What is a Quarter Life Crisis?!
It’s that point in our mid to late-20s when we begin to question our lives, our careers, and our relationships (if not other things). It can be characterized by:
feeling intense pressure to choose the “right” path for you
have the “perfect” relationship before settling down
coming out of a major transition
inability to make decisions (due to not wanting to commit and be stuck)
feeling untethered/adrift with life
Is this normal?
Short answer is yes. “Normal” doesn't mean that every person goes through this, but it’s definitely common and, in truth, is becoming more common as millenials evolve from previous generations. In other words, this wouldn’t have been common for, say, the Silent Generation, but that doesn't mean it shouldn’t be common for this generation.
How Therapy can Help
A skilled clinician can help you address some of the core issues of what you’re experiencing, as well as help you to figure out the path that’s right for you. An important note is that finding the ‘right’ path doesn't mean you won’t make mistakes, change your mind, amend things as you go, or anything of the like. It simply means that you can find the start of a path that’s specific for you. Not a path that somebody else has chosen for you, nor one that you can't modify as you embark.
If you’re ready to start therapy for a quarter-life crisis, reach out today by clicking contact below or by calling. We’ll get you set up straightaway.