This one is for the Quarter Lifers.
Hopefully by the end of this post, you will feel a fresh sense of motivation and encouragement in dealing with your ‘Quarter-Life Crisis’.
For me, turning 24 was a bit of a nightmare. Now approaching 25 and the ‘halfway to fifty’ milestone is getting closer. But when you feel like you are facing an uphill battle and everything seems like a Herculean task, relax and look forward.
It is normal to have feelings of loneliness and insecurity when scrolling through your Instagram feed and seeing pictures of weddings, babies and travel bucket lists being ticked off. But remember, that every single person on this earth is at a different stage in their life, and you should live your own life without fear of conforming to the societal expectations that social media platforms place upon you.
At 24, I have travelled the world and have friends in each corner of this globe, on each continent. Each of the people I have met have different objectives, goals and dreams.
Some are married or have children, others are studying at university and many are travelling. The common denominator though, is that they are at the stage in their lives that is right for them, and their happiness is not determined by what other people are doing.
In life, you have to be a bit selfish and look after number one — that is you.
Admittedly, I have spent too much time in the last few years worrying about what my friends are doing, rather than focusing on where I need to be.
I’ve worked myself up over the most trivial situations, but in the end, it’s never as bad as it seems.
It’s time to take your ‘Quarter-Life Crisis’ and make it opportunistic. Instead of being fixated on everyone else, concentrate on yourself. Always strive to be a better version of yourself; better than yesterday.
The thing is, despite what social media may project, no one is immune to feeling down. Embrace your worry and pain and use it as fuel to keep the fire of life burning.
If you are having a tough time, don’t think of your burdens being too heavy for you. Lift your chin, puff your chest and broaden your shoulders.
Count your blessings, not your troubles. I guarantee you that you will have many more reasons to feel happiness than you ever imagined.
Every time you face a tough hurdle, think of the situation as an opportunity to plant a new seed of hope. Your mindset will soon change and you will become more positive.
I guess we, as Quarter-Lifers have a tendency to make unrealistic comparisons to our friends, and in reality none of us are the same, nor are we at the same life stage.
Bear in mind, age is just a number. If you’re 30 and unmarried and still trying to find your way in life, remember you’re not abnormal. You’re unique and living your life the way you want to live it. Don’t let anyone tell you what you should be doing.
The most important element to life is happiness. Don’t forget that. Do more of what makes YOU happy.
Originally published at mydiaryofaquarterlifer.wordpress.com on April 5, 2017.
Originally published at medium.com