Quarter-Life Crisis – Why I Decided to Blog
Is it the appeal of the “Digital Nomad” life or being my own boss? Is it because I hate my job? Is it because I’m trying to prove something?
Everyone has a different version of normal. As a 25 year-old, the life I have lived so far has been my idea of “normal”. I went through the school system as a child, went to and graduated university, and got myself a corporate job. I am aware enough to understand that this is a privileged life. I was able to get an education from an excellent school and a stable job.
Growing up, my surroundings were stable. My family was always there when I needed them (and don’t worry, they still are). My parents, like many others, pushed me to do well in all levels of school so that I could ultimately get a stable job.
I listened to them and achieved the goal we were aiming for. I’ve been happy with my achievements because it wasn’t all easy, but I got through it.
I started my corporate job a little over two years ago right after I graduated university. I remember being so excited because I was finally able to reach the end goal and take the next step into a “big-boy” job. I had ambitions of climbing the corporate ladder, working hard, and eventually getting a leadership role that would hopefully pay me 6-figures.
I remember going into the job with an entire gameplan. With my foot in the door, I was going to climb up the next rung and move to a higher-paying position after one year, and then continue to progress quickly afterwards. Fast forward to today. One year has turned into more than two. I’ve been working hard to climb the ladder but with how the job market currently is, there is so much competition that it has been difficult to move. Sadly, the excitement I felt in the beginning has faded and it has just been a hard, ongoing mental battle between me and myself.
Admittedly, I have no hate for my current job. It has its perks like a solid benefits package, job security, and a fixed schedule. I have talked with colleagues that say I’ll be able to retire early and secure a really nice pension. These are really good things!
But I’m 25. Even with the early retirement, I have to wait until I’m 55. Basic math says that’s 30 years, I say that’s quite a long time. I’m generally a patient person, but I cannot stand the thought of being tied down to my 9-5 without at least making an effort to do something else.
Now I wanted to acknowledge what I said in the title of this post. I have been in a quarter-life crisis for a little while now and from my experience, I can describe it as a huge weight that decides to bear on me at random times. The frequency of these feelings is different for everyone, but for me it comes and goes. One day I can be bogged down by thoughts that remind me I’m not good enough, then the next day I’m motivated as hell to get stuff done.
Reasons for this crisis differ, but for me, it’s the lack of fulfilment I’m feeling with my career. If you’ve read up to this point and can relate to this feeling, I want you to first think of why you feel what you feel. Is there something you can think of that has impacted you? Is it obvious, or is it something small and hidden? The trouble with thinking about this is not the thinking part, but rather, the acceptance.
I have accepted the fact that I’m feeling volatile feelings. However, it took me a while to get there. After being down for so long, I needed to think of a plan to work through these feelings. For me, this meant starting something new. In this case, I’m trying to start a blog. This helps me with 3 things:
- Opens the door to work towards a career option that I actually would want to do.
- Gives me a creative outlet to share my thoughts.
- Opportunity to earn a side-income.
This process of experiencing and processing a crisis of any kind will be different for everyone. This also goes for the actions that follow in addressing the crisis. In my case, I got to a point where I realized nothing is going to be given to me. So my response to this is trying to create my own opportunity.
While I am trying to better my situation, I still experience those negative thoughts a lot. However, I am taking my first step in trying to overcome this crisis by writing my first blog post.
Moving forward, this blog will lean towards travel-oriented content. However, everybody has a reason behind each action they do which is why I decided to begin with a more personal/lifestyle piece.
If you’re experiencing a crisis or mental troubles, I promise you it’s going to be okay. If you’re able to take the first step to addressing your problems, I urge you to do it!