Lately, I’ve been feeling like I’m going through one of those “quarter-life crises.” For reference, a quarter-life crisis is described as feelings of confusion, anxiety, and self-doubt experienced by some people in their twenties, especially after finishing school. My last year of grad school was brutal, my personal life has basically been non-existent, work has been a struggle, and I’ve gained a couple of unwanted pounds. Even going out to the club isn’t fun anymore.
To try to make sense of it all, I picked up 20 Something, 20 Everything: A Quarter-Life Woman’s Guide to Balance and Direction by Christine Hassler. In the welcome chapter, there’s a 10-question quiz to see if you might be in a quarter-life funk. You’re supposed to answer each question quickly with a simple YES or NO. Five or more YES answers, and apparently, you’re experiencing a quarter-life crisis.
Here’s my take:
-
Do you feel a need to “have it all?” – Yes. I want balance, success, love, growth… but some days it feels like too much to juggle.
-
Do you feel older for the first time in your life? – Yes. Adulting hits differently when you realize the stakes are real.
-
Do you feel pressure to grow up and get your adult life in order? – Yes. Career, finances, relationships… it’s all staring me down.
-
Do you often feel depressed, overwhelmed, lost, and maybe even a little hopeless? – Yes. There are moments when everything seems heavier than it should.
-
Do you ever feel like time is running out when you try to figure out your career and decide whether you want to get married and/or have children? – Yes. The timeline pressure is real, even if I try not to focus on it.
-
Are you stressed out about choices that seemingly will affect the rest of your life? – Yes. Every decision feels permanent, like it will lock me into some path.
-
Do you feel you have failed because you don’t know what you want to do with your life? – Yes. Some days I feel behind, like I should have it figured out already.
-
Do you overanalyze yourself and your decisions? – Yes. I replay every choice, every conversation, every “what if?” endlessly.
-
Do you ever feel guilty for complaining about your life when you’ve lived only about a quarter of it? – Yes. I remind myself I’m just starting, but the pressure still bites.
-
Are you embarrassed that you have not figured out or accomplished more? – Yes. Comparison is ruthless, even if it’s internal.
So yeah… looks like I’m in the thick of a quarter-life crisis. My plan is to keep going through this book and see if it helps me get out of this funk — to better evaluate my personal, financial, and career choices. I’ll keep track of insights as I go.
Oh, and I’m also on day four of The Purpose Driven Life. Nothing revolutionary yet, but reading both of these together should spark something.
Stay tuned.
No comments:
Post a Comment