Are you going through a quarter-life crisis?

One of the most common pieces of advice you will hear when you’re young is, ‘enjoy your youth!’ Everyone expects that your 20s and 30s will be that season of your life where you explore new opportunities and have fun while you’re at it.

People who are currently in their mid-20 and early 30s have this excitement to challenge life but not everyone manages to have a smooth journey. At some point, you might start feeling an overall underwhelm about life when actually what you’re experiencing is a quarter-life crisis.

A quarter-life crisis sounds terrible but being aware that you’re going through one will help you feel more confident that you will pull through. But to do that you first need to know the signs that indicate you’re officially going through it:

When we were young, we had all these dreams about becoming pilots, fashion designers, doctors and so many other amazing things. But as life progressed, we slowly shifted our goals and found ourselves in career paths we never expected to be in.

For someone who is going through a crisis, there is an inner struggle that doesn’t accept who they thought they would be and who they are. You might even be in a well-paying job but deep down there is still a feeling of dissatisfaction. If you’ve been feeling like your career suddenly isn’t fulfilling, you might be in the middle of a quarter-life crisis.

If you’re not aware that this crisis exists, you will end up making bad, impulsive decisions. You won’t know that this is a phase that eventually passes, and every decision, regardless of how bad it is, will feel right.

You will know that you’re not yourself if you now feel like you need to make unplanned moves like quitting your job even though you have no plan and demanding responsibilities.

You need to understand that you shouldn’t make any rushed decisions, especially not now.

A quarter-life crisis will also make it hard for you to make decisions on your own. Since you’re struggling with your identity and the direction of your life right now, you doubt every decision you make.

You will probably rely on other people to make the simplest decisions because you don’t trust yourself. It might take you a minute to find your independence again but don’t beat yourself up for it.

You will also tend to criticize your relationships when there is no real reason to do so. A small argument with your friends or partner can cause you to break up with them, even though previously you wouldn’t make a big deal about minor disagreements.

This confusion in your relationships is a classic sign of a quarter-life crisis.

Your emotions will also be all over the place. And if you don’t have healthy ways to cope, you might sink into depression slowly.

This is a time when you need to be there for yourself. Acknowledge what you’re feeling and be patient with the process. If you reach a point where it’s too much, seek professional help.