We open our eyes in the morning, and life is just waiting to tip a fresh avalanche of “Don’t Forget!”s and “Remember!”s over us. We don’t have time to think or breathe. We just wake up and start digging through the heap because there will be another one dumped on us tomorrow. We look around occasionally, at our place of work or parents’ meetings or out in the street, and realize with horror that everyone else seems to know exactly what they’re doing. We’re the only ones who have to pretend.
Fredrick Backman, Anxious People
Surely, you’ve heard of a midlife crisis. How about a quarter-life crisis? The sensation that is gripping a substantial number of young adults.
I honestly didn’t know there was a name for it. Some sources say it’s general uncertainty about the direction and quality of one’s life from early 20s to early 30s, others say from mid-20s to early 30s. Either way, there is a crisis.
Inserts song: Adulthood by Lade.
I wonder if there’s always been this rise in uncertainty and anxiety about life, relationships, career, and purpose in life, or it’s that more people are speaking about it. Did our parents or grandparents struggle with these, too? Societal and cultural influences, as well as social media, contribute to this crisis. Right from the get-go, society ‘forces’ the status quo on us. ‘At this time of your life, you should be, you should have…and others.
There are a ton of questions that go unanswered. We’re asking so many questions with the hopes that someone might have the best answers to them. Sadly, so many others are trying to grasp the happenings in life.
Who are we? What do we want to be? What happened to Princesses and Co. (Joking)
Where am I going? What if I never figure it out? Should I follow my dreams? When does this end? Is there a bigger picture/purpose? Am I truly living? Am I missing out?
We’re disconnected more than ever and struggle with so much loneliness in a world that’s filled with billions of people. What happened to community empowerment?
So what do we do? We hope against all odds – it’s one of the reasons we don’t snooze the alarm (after snoozing the first two). We buffer our uncertainties with hope. Sometimes, Inshallah and vibes. The human spirit is truly a remarkable one. It’s amazing how we build so much resilience in the face of uncertainties.
Numerous self-help books have outlined step-by-step approaches on how to achieve success, but life is much more complex than simply following a set of instructions. It’s hard and confusing. Meanwhile, your friends are getting married, having children, and acquiring assets. Looking around, we may see people who seem to have ‘got it together,’ and this can create room for stress and unhealthy comparisons.
I have shared this before, and I want to share it again. It’s a huge relief to know that we are not alone in our struggles. I’ve often admired people who seem to have everything figured out: they know what they want, and they have a clear path to get there. At times, I’ve tried not to envy them – each of us has our unique journey to embark on.
This post has no helpful tips on how to get past the existential crisis occurring among young adults because I, too, unfortunately, have no idea what I’m doing. I do not even understand what’s happening or what I’m trying to say(lol).
On a lot of days, I don’t have a plan. The plan is to get through the day and live another day.
We’re trying to be grown-up and love each other and understand how the hell you’re supposed to insert USB leads. We’re looking for something to cling on to, something to fight for, something to look forward to. We’re doing all we can to teach our children how to swim. We have all of this in common, yet most of us remain strangers. We never know what we do to each other, how your life is affected by mine.
Fredrik Backman, Anxious People
I want to believe that this, too, is a phase – a passing moment in the rest of my life. I want to believe that maybe someday, it would all make sense. After all, what is life without some faith?
Post inspired by someone.
Photo Credit: Tunde
P.S It’s perfectly okay if you can’t relate to this post.
Sed 