WELCOME TO THE QUARTER LIFE CRISIS

Just found Quarterlife Crisis: The Unique Challenges of Life in Your Twenties today, plan on ordering and reading after lifting my self-imposed 'No more buying books policy'

Honestly, the title of this post was inches away from becoming the title of this blog and it is a very real thing folks. Very real, indeed. As the Quarter Life Crisis chapter is coming to a close for me, I am only now realizing how prevalent it is. Of course we have all heard of the mid-life crisis and possibly even witnessed it with our own eyes. Fast cars, hot lovers, erratic behavior, hey, wasn't that our early twenties?



The Quarter Life Crisis, on the other hand, is less widely discussed and sans all the fun symptoms of the latter. Here is my best go at a loose interpretation of this phenomenon:

*Mostly seen in, but not limited to ages 25-30

*Effects men and women whether swinging singles or contently committed

*Arises out of the agony of venturing to answer such questions as:
"What do I want from my life?"
"What do I want to do for the rest of my life?"
"What makes me happy?"
"Have I been wasting my time thus far?"

*The realization that everything you have worked towards up to this point, be it education, careers, etc. may not fit the mold you have in mind for your life NOW (talk about frightening!)

*Overwhelming guilt for wanting to take time to figure out the meaning of life and happiness when there are bigger problems in the world

By no means do I wish for a time when choices (especially for women) were not in abundance, but I must say, the options can be a tad exhausting. Does anybody else feel the pressure to not only provide for yourself and your family (if that's the case) but also to be happy enough to whistle while you work? Trust me, it's certainly better than the alternative, but whew. The biggest twist is that nobody is putting pressure on us, we are doing it to ourselves. Our generation is a whole new animal in the pursuit of joy, maybe it's a little exciting to see where the journey leads us.

(Side Note) What may sound like complaining is just me trying to suss out why the 4 most recent convos I've had with close friends leads me to believe the Quarter Life Crisis is not my experience alone.

While I am moving past said crisis, others are in the midst of it and boy is it rough. There is a stagnant quality to the Quarter Life Crisis as the fear of moving at all is debilitating. This is the place where taking a step forward could be in the wrong direction and starting from scratch feels like taking a step backward so it seems much safer to just sit still. Then you realize nothing is more frustrating than feeling stuck, it's like the dream where you're screaming but nobody can hear you. UGH!

Remember in high school, that overwhelming desire to be able to make your own decisions, then once off to college or out on your own thinking 'Yeah, this is what it's all about!' and somehow waking up one morning as an adult and yearning for those simpler days, the ones you couldn't pass fast enough? Well, welcome to the Quarter Life Crisis my friend!

So, here is my progress report: I love what I do and maybe it's dorky, but I am passionate about skin care. I meet and spend my time with incredible women every single business day. Feelings of inadequacy creep in, but it only pushes me to study and research more, which is a welcome task. To a reasonable extent my schedule can be flexible. I am happy enough to whistle while I work even though the likelihood of making millions is not on the table. Quite frankly the payoff of looking forward to my job everyday is much greater.

My degree in Religious Studies rarely if ever comes in handy when 'making the world a cleaner place one pore at a time', but it did instill a love for continued education as well as provide the groundwork for becoming an avid reader, student of meditation, and Yogini in my personal life. Not only that, but during that time I lived in what has to be one of the most beautiful towns in America, Flagstaff, befriended wonderful people that otherwise I never would have known, and found an independence of spirit that may have been lost had I stayed in Arkansas.

While I'm on this positive thinking kick (it's a new thing I'm trying out, we'll see if it suits me) I would like to offer some encouragement to my aforementioned buddies, who knows, maybe you can relate as well.

To my friend seeking inspiration: You are lovely and brilliant and you will find it, probably when you least expect it. Keep your heart space open (inside joke, had to do it, now you know I'm talking to you). Seriously though, your intentions are in the right place and when you're ready to move forward you will as beautifully and gracefully as you always have.

To my friend on the verge of taking the next step: Go for it. Find a way to moonlight doing or studying what you are interested in. Not that you have a ton of spare time, but start with a little meditation and see what arises for you. You are not too OLD to make a career change and your stamina thus far makes for one rockin' resume. You have shown your dedication and committment in a number of ways, so I have no doubt that you can do whatever you put your mind to.

To my friend searching for where to go from here: You have an amazing opportunity right NOW to move in whichever direction you want. You are talented and super personable, that combined with doing what you love will be explosive! You will find something that fulfills you because I know you wouldn't have it any other way. (And thanks for getting me posting again. Accountability, who knew it was so effective!)

To my friend on the cusp of a Quarter Life Crisis: You are amazing! You are so much wiser than I ever was at your age (that doesn't make me OLD by the way, just sayin'). You are on the right track and it is your turn to live your life for you! I can see you excelling at what you want to do and don't dismiss it because of unforseen events that may take place in the future. You may end up regretting it if you put it off. The struggle with finding out who you are and what you want is that the answers are constantly growing and changing, so be prepared for that little number as well (hence the Quarter Life Crisis bit).

If you are in the midst, on the verge, or currently recovering from the Quarter Life Crisis just know that you are not the only one and isn't there always comfort in numbers!

Toodles from a recovering Quarter Life Crisis Smalltownista.