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Quarter life crisis? Are you thinking "what should I do with my life?"
Life can be a rollercoaster of emotions and experiences, and sometimes it can be overwhelming. Many adults in their early twenties and thirties are navigating multiple changes and for many, they are setting out on their own for the first time and feel like they're experiencing a quarter life crisis. The mental health of many young adults is affected by these life transitions, developing their sense of self, and navigating the expectations of their family members as well as themselves.
Nine tips how therapy can help you when don't know what to do with your life
Here we'll give you nine helpful tips of how therapy can help young adults navigate this new and challenging stage of life especially when you're feeling stuck and not sure how to figure out what you want from life.
1. Gain more self awareness as a young adult
First, therapy for young adults can help you gain self-awareness and get to know yourself on a deeper level. Self-awareness is the ability to recognize your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and understand how they impact your life. Therapy provides you a safe space where you can explore your thoughts and emotions so you can start to make changes if need be.
A therapist can help you identify patterns of behavior that may be holding you back and help you develop skills to make changes. By increasing your self-awareness, you'll be better equipped to make positive changes in your life and build stronger relationships with others.
Fostering self awareness also allows you to know yourself on a deeper level in order to figure out what you truly want from life.
2. Identify patterns to get unstuck and find your way
Emerging adults are often discovering what they want and who they want to become. By cultivating self awareness, you can identify areas of your life where you're struggling and feeling overwhelmed. For instance, you might realize that you have a tendency to overthink and have negative thought patterns, and many times young adults think that this negative self talk is "normal".
However the therapeutic process can help you unpack this pattern and how it is affecting your daily life. Once you identify these challenges, you can work with your therapist to develop strategies to make sustainable changes that support you. By understanding yourself better, you can make more informed decisions, set appropriate boundaries, and build healthier relationships.
3. Figure out the “what”, then the “how” if you don't know what to do with your life
So many of us often get stuck on “how” we're going to achieve our goals and create a life that we love. Our minds sometimes send us down a rabbit hole of doubts with thoughts like “how am I going to be independent?”; “how can I be successful?”; “how can I find a partner etc.
Your mind start spinning with all the different paths of how you’re going to create the life that you want. Many young adults get stuck in the “how” or the process needed to create a life that they want. However many times we are unsure “what” we want from life and “what” is most important to us.
Therapy for young adults can help you reevaluate the questions you’re asking so that you can get unstuck. Therapy can help you first understand *what* you want and then build a path of *how* you’re going to get there. Having a clear direction where you’re headed can help you feel more grounded and calm in order to move towards the life you want.
4. Explore the unique challenges of managing expectations
It's common for young adults to feel pressure to meet the expectations of their parents, peers, and society. So many young adults experience a quarter-life crisis since they thought they knew what they wanted, but when they finally finish school or achieve their goals, they start to realize that maybe this isn't exactly how they envisioned their life.
Having to make a decisions regarding your career or confusing your studies, often can be overwhelming. Many young adults experience decision paralysis around major life decisions. Family pressure or expectations can be another layer that therapy can help you unpack feelings of confusion, possible guilt, or overwhelm so you can have more clarity about what you want to do with you life.
5. Start to gain a different perspective
Pressure from family, friends, and society can be overwhelming and can lead to anxiety and depression when you don't know what to do with your life. A therapist can help you identify how family dynamics have influenced these expectations that might be causing you stress and develop strategies to manage them effectively.
Emerging adulthood is a time when many people need to reevaluate what they want and what they thought they want because of the expectations of others.
Therapy for young adults allows you to gain a different perspective and evaluate if there are family differences related to what you want in your own life. Young adulthood is a the stage in life when many people experience mental health issues due to a clash between complying with what has been expected of you and being their authentic self.
6. Get clarity to get unstuck. Learn how to find your way in life and navigate life transitions as a young adult
Up until this point in life many young people feel that their path was fairly straight forward, however many people in their early twenties or young adult years feel overwhelmed with the multitude of choices that have and so many decisions that need to be made. It's important to recognize that this is normal to feel this way during this stage of life.
Therapy for young adults can help you cope with life transitions during this stage of life especially when you're not sure what to do with you life. This stage of life is full of significant changes, such as starting college, leaving home, and entering the workforce.
These transitions can be challenging and stressful, and it's easy to feel stressed as you're figuring out your future. Counseling for young adults can help you actually understand what you want so you can develop coping strategies to manage the stress that comes with these transitions. A therapist can also provide support and guidance as you navigate these changes and discover aspects of your identity while helping you develop a sense of purpose and direction in life. You can also download our free printable to get more clarity about living more intentionally.
7. Learn practical skills to manage life transitions when you don't know what you to do with your life
Life transitions can be both exciting and scary. They often involve a major shift in your routine, and it can be hard to adjust. If you're starting college, for instance, you might be living away from home for the first time, managing your finances, and adjusting to a new academic workload.
A therapist can help you manage these changes by providing you with tools and techniques to cope with stress, anxiety, and depression. By working with a therapist, you can develop a sense of direction and purpose, and feel more confident in your ability to navigate the challenges of adult life. A therapist can also help you develop skills to manage uncomfortable thought and emotions so you cope with the challenges you're facing.
8. Counseling for young adults can help you develop healthy boundaries
Therapy can help young adults develop healthy boundaries in relationships. As we navigate relationships, it's essential to establish healthy boundaries so that we can build relationships based on trust, honesty, and compassion.
Boundaries help us define what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior in our relationships, and they help us communicate our needs and wants effectively. A therapist can help you understand your boundaries and teach you how to assert them in a healthy and respectful way. By developing healthy boundaries, you'll have stronger and more fulfilling relationships with others.
9. Finding yourself - Therapy for young adults in California can help you discover your true self
Core values are the guiding principles that shape our decisions, behaviors, and attitudes which can help us when you don't know what to do with your life. When we're clear about our core values, we're better able to make decisions and act in a way that is in alignment with what's most important to us.
This therapeutic alliance between you and your therapist can help you explore your values and identify what's most important to you. Through this process, you'll gain a deeper understanding of yourself, your motivations, and what you truly want to do with your life.
You'll be better equipped to make decisions that align with your values and live a life that honors who you are and who you want to become. Connecting with a therapist can help you improve relationships, feel comfortable with the person your are becoming, and navigate other situations life throws at you.
By clarifying your core values, you'll have a strong foundation for your personal and professional life, and you'll be better equipped to navigate the challenges that come your way.
You're not alone and therapy for young adults in California could support you during this challenging stage of life. Together with a therapist you can get more clarity about building the life you want.
If you're a young adult, you know that this time of your life may feel both exciting and overwhelming. Many college students and young adults benefit from mental health treatment and therapeutic approaches as they are trying to figure out this chapter of their lives.
You know you could talk to your friends and your family, but therapy can be a safe space to truly let it all out so you don't have to worry about judgement or pressures from others. If you're interested in learning more about therapy for young adults in California feel free to contact us to book your free consultation to start online therapy in California or Puerto Rico today.
***The ideas, concepts, and opinions expressed in all Living Openhearted posts are intended to be used for educational purposes only. The author and publisher are not rendering medical or mental health advice of any kind, nor are intended to replace medical advice, nor to diagnose, prescribe, or treat any disease, condition, illness, or injury. Authors and publisher claim no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss, or damage as a result of the use, application, or interpretation of the material.