When you take a look at the people around you the chances are high that you know somebody that is either in a quarter life crisis or experienced one before. There are 4 quarter life crisis stages that someone can go through. In this blog we take a look at what age it can appear, the stages of a quarter life crisis and how to get pave your way through these phases.
At what age can you have a quarter life crisis?
You can have a quarter life crisis at any age between 18 and 30 years as this phenomenon appears mostly in the younger age group.
You might wonder how the age gap can be so big since 18 year olds have a very different life than people in their late-twenties. Well, the answer is quite simple. It is not fundamentally based on age but on the struggles and challenges you are facing.
For instance, you can ask yourself if you have made the right choice in education before going to college or a few years after you graduate. The key is that they all are thinking about how to move forward while finding happiness and fulfillment in life.
Four quarter life crisis stages
There are many different ways that you can look towards the quarter life crisis and because of that you can divide it in several stages. To keep things simple in this already overcomplicated world, I see four major stages of quarter life crisis.
Stage 1: Feeling trapped
You don’t just end up in a quarter life crisis from one day to another. This process grows overtime and is often the result of (the lack of) decisions made in the past.
In the first stage you will start to feel trapped by these life choices you have made. You will start to become aware that you’re life on autopilot without direction. Next to this, you will feel unsure about yourself which all results in feeling trapped. Often people feel trapped in either their relationship, job or experiencing general bad energy.
Stage 2: The struggle
The second stage is what we most typically define as being in the middle of the quarter life crisis. It is maybe the hardest face there is as the questions and doubt start coming to the surface. Because the feeling that you are lost is at its peak here it is really scary to be making moves.
However, when you have reached a low point, the only way is up! This is reflected in doing a lot of thinking, talking and researching. This could be in the form of reading books about the quarter life crisis, talking with friends and family and trying out new stuff.
This all will result in glimpses of hope and the feeling that better days are coming. In the end you will start to feel more excited to do something about your situation and thus setting yourself up for a happy and fulfilled life.
Stage 3: Making changes
Pushing through a quarter life crisis is extremely hard but after some time has gone by things will start to lighten up. This starts from the moment you (kind off) figured out what changes are needed in your life.
Knowing what to change is one thing, but the next step is making the changes a reality! Is your job just not giving the fulfillment you desire? Then it is time to end it and move on. Are you maintaining an unhealthy relationship and you finally see it yourself?Move on!
This stage is all about making the changes necessary to get the life you want. You may not see the results immediately but making changes will make you feel a lot better. Besides, now that you are changing things, you are making progress towards the life you want.
Stage 4: Moving on
After going through this difficult phase in your life, the quarter life crisis will finally come to an end. Because of stages two and three you will gather all the resources you need, by yourself, and be able to move on.
You will only come out stronger as you’re more confident in how you use your energy, you’re able to take better care of yourself, and your life generally feels more fulfilling. Isn’t that what we all want?
How to deal with a quarter life crisis?
There are many ways about how to deal with a quarter life crisis and what to do can vary enormously depending on the person. However, there are a few things you can do that will help you no matter what.
Don’t be to hard on yourself
First of all, don’t be too hard on yourself. Acknowledge the fact that it is okay to not have it all figured out in your twenties. This may sound like something easy to do but can be very hard in today’s society.
Why is it so hard? Because we constantly compare ourselves with others and due to the key part of social media in our lives we only see the highlights. We are confronted with the things we don’t have countless times a day, resulting in a social media depression.
So stop comparing yourself with everybody in the world and start focussing on yourself. Still want to compare? Well, compare yourself today versus the person you were yesterday or even last week. This way, you will focus on the progress you are making!
Talk about your struggle and seek (professional) help
Talking about the struggles you are facing is never a bad thing. Obviously, don’t talk about it with every stranger you meet but start with your family and friends. Who knows, maybe they have faced similar situations and can guide you out of it.
If you rather don’t talk about it with your family, than seek professional help. This can be either a psychologist or a life coach depending on what you need. To get started, visit this website where you can find a life coach that is perfect for you!
Try out new things
If you have some time you are passionate about, then start doing something with that. It will get you more excited and who knows, maybe you can make a living out of it.
Maybe you don’t have something you are passionate about yet, if so, then try out a lot of new things and see what you like. This way you will soon discover something you really like and the best part of it is that you will meet new people and get ideas along the way!
The bottom line
You are not online! Remember this when you are experiencing a quarter life crisis. It will take some time to get through this but you will get out stronger and will kick start the next phase of your adult life.
Frequently asked questions about the stages of a quarter life crisis
Who is most likely to experience a quarter life crisis?
The people who most likely experience a quarter life crisis are students and people that just start working. The main reason why these groups are the most likely is that they are on the turning point of making big life decisions or feel the consequences of decisions made in the past.
How long does a quarter life crisis last?
A quarter life crisis lasts on average 11 months however there is not a specific time frame. Some people can also go through all the faces in less than three months while others may be overcoming all the stages of the quarter life crisis in a few years according to research.
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