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Have you guys hit a point in your 20's where you're not quite sure where to go with your life?  Should you continue with your regular job or break off an go traveling? Maybe there's something else you want to do with your life but there are already some things starting to hold you back? Relationships? Family? Money?

I'm starting to feel like I have to make big decisions today that will affect the rest of my life.  I'm afraid to choose incorrectly. 

It's like a 20-something's version of a mid-life crisis.  Possibly.

This is the topic of the u30pro chat tomorrow on twitter.  That community is more professionally focused.  Have any of you experienced the same thing?


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YES YES YES!!! The quarterlife crisis =)

Up until like last month I wasn't sure what the heck I was doing with my life. I moved from San Francisco to New York and worked every job under the sun in between. 4 years later I'm starting to be at peace with where I'm at.
What made you move? I grew up in NY, and I'm afraid I'll never make it out.
I'm leaving a job I have in a field I hate to teach English in Chile for a year.

I've been putting it off for years now, because I've been good about talking myself out of it for "practical" reasons. What matters, though, is that I keep coming back to it. This indicates that I'll continue to come back to it. Which means that, when the time comes that it's absolutely not an option, I'll regret that I didn't do it when I could.

And that part would really really suck.
My friend just got back from teaching in Chile for around 18 months, she absolutely LOVED IT! Right now I am teaching English in Korea... this is the time when you need to JUST DO IT. I don't know you, but I am proud that you are finally 'taking the plunge' or "biting the bullet' or "grabbing the bull by its horns" yeah I like that last one.
That's awesome... congrats on taking that leap.

I want to do something like that. Still too many practical reasons weighing me down though.
It's really hard to talk yourself out of those practical concerns. But my friend told me today, "That's what your 20s are for: Santiago and cover letters. Take your pick."

Granted, I'm soon to be out of a job, so I have nothing to lose. I don't know what your story is. But, you only have your 20s once.
For sure, for sure! I'm at a point where I just don't know anything anymore. Really, I've wiped my slate clean. I don't know what my values are, or even what my desires are aside from normal physical things like food, sleep, comfort. Life goals though? I don't know.

I say, embrace it. Don't think of it as a crisis (despite the fact that it IS terrifying), think of it more as a phase of your life where you should be extra observant and curious about things. Does anything that falls into your life interest you? Just wait and see what happens, talk to other people, always be open to the future.
I think a big concern of mine is that I'm not being open enough. I'm absolutely more observant and curious about things, but I'm not able to explore them. For lack of motivation or for increasing responsibilities, I don't know...but you're right, it's terrifying.
yep. I'm living out my quarter life crisis right now. i have a new motto:

"my quarter-life crisis is cooler than yours" :P

Basically because i'm having the time of my life exploring, traveling and living abroad. right now i'm temple hopping at zen monasteries in SE Asia... for 5 months. and i have 2 more to go. before that i volunteered at a slum school in india for 3 weeks.

After this? my options are kind of open. i can walk 280 miles of Palawan island, Philippines (which is mostly beaches and tropical jungle!), work on my freelancing business idea, trek the Himalayas, visit Malaysia and Thailand... etc. etc. Not sure exactly! That's half the fun. My blog is basically all about my quarter life crisis journey.

I don't view my life as a crisis. I'm having way too much fun to be anxious about anything. And if I ever DO get seeds of doubt because it feels like I don't have a "plan", I just try to calm myself down by taking a few deep breaths and realizing that I have absolute control of my situation NOW, and that's both empowering and scary. Your life is what you make of it. So just have fun exploring, questioning and finding out what makes you YOU. As long as you're moving forward and doing *something*, you have no reason to be anxious of the future or of having a plan.
Ya David I wrote an entire series on the Quarterlife Crisis- check it out I think you'd like it:

http://www.20sb.net/forum/topics/the-quarterlife-crisis-series
I just found this article that nails it. http://www.eyeweekly.com/article/55882

I relate to a lot of things that they explain the "guy" in the article is going through.
excellent article! i may work that into a future blog entry! inspired some thoughts :)

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