Many people anticipate that their early 20’s will be their prime years. During this period, most people are at their physical and mental peak, having plenty of free time and energy, and are mature enough to make their own choices while still being open to new experiences.
These years can be a time of incredible growth and development, but they can also be fraught with difficulties. Many people experience a midlife crisis in their 20’s as a result of the conflicting demands they face as they navigate the transition from college student to working adult.
To what kinds of quarter-life crises are you susceptible?
1. Your financial obligations are growing but your disposable income remains stagnant
To sum it up: low salary and big costs.
Most of us in our 20’s are just getting our feet wet professionally and are just starting out on the corporate ladder. We have to put in more hours just to get paid a minimum wage and with fewer perks since we don’t have the same bargaining power as someone in their 30s or 40s.
If you’re getting married, purchasing a house, or putting money away for a baby, you’re probably about to make some of the biggest purchases of your life. We’re talking about attempting to save for the future while paying for things like tuition and a down payment on a home, utilities, groceries, and more.
What You Can Do
Personal finance management is a skill that will serve you well throughout your life. You’ll be much better off financially if you start learning about budgeting and saving at an early age. First, figure out how much money you need to get by each month, then figure out what your short-term, intermediate-term, and long-term goals are, and last, set aside at least 10% of your salary for your happiness.
Also, start investing early and regularly to maximize the impact of compound interest. Investing in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) is a good first step for beginners. You may not have a lot of money right now, but time is on your side. The best time to learn from your investing blunders is in your twenties. So, take a deep breath and remind yourself that life doesn’t get easier; you only get smarter the next time you experience a quarter-life crisis.
2. Relationships take a lot of effort and it's not easy to keep them
When you’re always on the go for work, it’s hard to make time for the people that matter most to you, including your family and friends. It’s simple to let work or other commitments crowd out leisure time.
Our relationships, like ourselves, undergo continuous development and transformation throughout our lives, even if we aren’t always aware of it. We need to put in work to keep a relationship alive and well if we want it to continue to thrive.
What You Can Do
Investing in your relationships is one of the best ways to increase the quality and quantity of your life. Strong bonds can only be sustained via open communication, deliberate effort, and small catch-ups. Putting effort into the people you care about can pay off in the long run.
Share your available schedule with your loved ones and be sure to keep a regular contact. Spending time cultivating your relationships will help you through your quarter-life crisis, whether that means calling your parents once a week or meeting up with pals for coffee. In the end, it’s the people we connect with who make our life worthwhile. We would be completely lost without them.
3. You haven't yet settled on who you are or what you want yet
When you’re in your twenties, a lot of things will shift and alter. Leaving the safety and security of your student life behind, you’re venturing out into the wider world. It’s easy to feel like a failure when it seems like everyone else is thriving around you. It’s easy to feel inadequate in the face of uncertainty about your own future when you see your friends posting about their new homes, happy children, and great occupations on social media.
What You Can Do
When you measure your progress against that of others, it’s easy to feel inadequate. Keep in mind that there is more than one way to achieve your goals, and that we all bring something special to the table.
Think about what it is that you want to accomplish. Some people define success as securing a comfortable financial future or rising through the ranks of an organization. Others may view this as an opportunity to focus on personal interests or spend more time with loved ones.
Discover your own standards for success; there is no right or wrong answer in this. In what ways do you find joy? Where do your interests lie? You may start working toward your goals once you have a firm grasp on what it is you want to accomplish.
Embrace the ups and downs of your 20's to fully enjoy them
There is a lot of pressure on you to make it big in your 20s, both professionally and financially and even socially.
The expectations of society require that you have your act together by now. After college, you should be able to secure a stable employment, advance in your chosen field, and start putting money away for old age. You should also build a family and keep in touch with old friends. The stress can be so great that it may also trigger a midlife crisis.
However, there is a good reason behind this. This is because the decisions we make when we’re in our twenties tend to have far-reaching consequences. If you act responsibly, you can pave the way for a better tomorrow. If you make the incorrect choices, you may find yourself working longer and harder throughout your 30s and 40s.
While you’re in your twenties, you might experience some of the lowest points of your life. So take advantage of it, revel in it, and utilize it to create the kind of future you’ve always wanted. After all, we only get one shot at this.