twenty-something syndrome?

[bluekit]

I don't know how to begin. :shame:

Here's the situation I'm in: Finished school, got my degree, has a career as a professional, appears to have everything going on through other people's eyes, and I work extremely decent hours considering the field that I'm in, etc., etc. and last but not least, can occasionally feed my burning desire for designer handbags.

Now wrap all that around a twenty-something-year-old in a field that has an average age of 40+.

In the past couple months I feel "bored" with life. I've always been extremely driven and won't be satisfied as being #2 on anything. There has always been something I had to go after, something to be achieved. And now that everything is "on track," so-to-speak, I feel like "crap, so what now?" all the time.

Some people have that hit them when they are going through the the mid-life crisis...and the problem is, most people around my age are still trying to figure out what they will do with their life, career-wise, or still trying to finish school.

I'm always in my element when I'm challenged, but lately things had been so dull and "goal-less". Am I the only one going through this? Does it even make sense? :worried:

 

[pursemama]

It sounds like you've always had goals for your career, which is a great, because now you're ahead of the game. Maybe, it's time to work on goals you want to accomplish in your life....like skydiving, learning to ballroom dance, travel to Africa, take photography, learn a new language, climb Mt. Everest, etc. I know you MUST have things that you've always wanted to do or try? I have my OWN list of things that I'd like to accomplish, (like, learn how to swim) before my time is up. What I'm trying to say without being corny is, you need to "stop and smell the roses" sometimes and enjoy life!

Just to clarify things, Midlife Crisis is someone who is around 40-55 yrs old and has always done everything the same in his life, and now realizes that he's "old" and now, he's scrambling to try new things and hangs on for dearlife to stay young!

 

[ShoppeGirl]

Don't worry, you're not alone -- I feel it too. It's called "the quarter life crisis" . . . it's even mentioned in the John Mayer song, "Georgia." Here are some articles on the phenomenon (which, based on the second link, is global!)

http://www.cds.caltech.edu/~shane/text/quarterlifecrisis.html

http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/-quarter-life-crisis-/2006/03/06/1430837.htm

 

[bluekit]

It sounds like you've always had goals for your career, which is a great, because now you're ahead of the game. Maybe, it's time to work on goals you want to accomplish in your life....like skydiving, learning to ballroom dance, travel to Africa, take photography, learn a new language, climb Mt. Everest, etc. I know you MUST have things that you've always wanted to do or try? I have my OWN list of things that I'd like to accomplish, (like, learn how to swim) before my time is up. What I'm trying to say without being corny is, you need to "stop and smell the roses" sometimes and enjoy life!

Pursemama, I think you've just just hit the nail in the head. I couldn't have said it more eloquently than that. There are so many things that I enjoy doing (learn photography, pick up my paint-brush, learn a new language, travel, etc. etc) but I've always had other priorities. I was too busy for any of that, heck, I was grateful if I could have a 8-hour sleep day.

I just re-read my initial post and wow, I sound like a brat! :shame: It's always nice to have someone else, removed from the situation, to point out the obvious (which I'm not completely oblivious to, but never really faced it head-on).

Thank you for your insightful comments. I'm really touched. :cry:

 

[pursemama]

Don't worry, you're not alone -- I feel it too. It's called "the quarter life crisis" . . . it's even mentioned in the John Mayer song, "Georgia." Here are some articles on the phenomenon (which, based on the second link, is global!)

http://www.cds.caltech.edu/~shane/text/quarterlifecrisis.html

http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/-quarter-life-crisis-/2006/03/06/1430837.htm

It's a stage in life that most people go through (it's nothing new, it just has a name now).....then you hit your 30's :cry: semi-midlife crisis....but when you hit 40, everything becomes more clear in your life, the small things that use to bother you, don't bother you anymore, you feel more at peace with yourself.

 

[bluekit]

Don't worry, you're not alone -- I feel it too. It's called "the quarter life crisis" . . . it's even mentioned in the John Mayer song, "Georgia." Here are some articles on the phenomenon (which, based on the second link, is global!)

You know what ShoppeGirl? I've never heard of that before your post. I can definitely relate to some of the things written by the "unknown" from the first website. I think for me anyway, I always took refuge from the people that were going through the same situation with me. I remembered a few years back when we graduated, and people started going their separate ways in life, there was a feeling of emptiness that I've never experienced before. It was a strange. :weird:

Luckily, on a happier note, I don't exhibit many of the symptoms as listed at the bottom of the second article...except the "easily bored" part.

I feel old. ush:

 

[angelica]

I can relate to your situation. Your life is settling down a bit. Things are always hectic when you're in school. Work life may not be as fast-paced. Now that your working, life's more boring. It took me a long time to get out of "school mode". But I must admit I am quite bored sometimes too. I've been thinking about taking up a crazy hobby I would have never had time for when I was in school. Knowing me, I'll probably go back for a graduate degree.

 

[bluekit]

It's a stage in life that most people go through (it's nothing new, it just has a name now).....then you hit your 30's :cry: semi-midlife crisis....but when you hit 40, everything becomes more clear in your life, the small things that use to bother you, don't bother you anymore, you feel more at peace with yourself.

Hmmm...I wish I have the mentality of being a 40-something year old. It sounds great! I'm curious as to what "small things" you are referring to. My personal experience has been that, now that I'm older, I have more tolerance towards people that aren't exactly like me, personality-wise, taste-wise, and whatnot.

 

[bluekit]

I can relate to your situation. Your life is settling down a bit. Things are always hectic when you're in school. Work life may not be as fast-paced. Now that your working, life's more boring. It took me a long time to get out of "school mode". But I must admit I am quite bored sometimes too. I've been thinking about taking up a crazy hobby I would have never had time for when I was in school. Knowing me, I'll probably go back for a graduate degree.

Angelica, thanks for your comments, it's always nice to be able to relate. :shame: I've been out of school for a while now, and not that I'm not being challenged at work, but it's not the same. It's not like you go to jr. high then go to high school then go to college, your advancement is not as easily measured, y'know? ush: What subject are you thinking of taking?

 

[gingerB]

I sorta am going through this. I am also in my mid-twenties. I had set ceratain big career goals and have pretty much met them all. I'm at this weird limbo state where I've met my life's first set of goals but haven't quite fianlized the next set yet. Make me feel restless and directionless. I'm tryoing to fix it now by giving myslef new long term goals to reach for.

 

[bagnshoofetish]

but when you hit 40, everything becomes more clear in your life, the small things that use to bother you, don't bother you anymore, you feel more at peace with yourself.

very true. as a 43 year old, I am finally happy in my own skin and don't care about "fitting in" anymore. people have to fit in with me! Also, when I turned 39 is when I completely changed careers to what I really wanted to do all along. don't fret. you are right on schedule.

 

[GIAGIAJA]

I think you need to buy "more handbag"

 

[Serendipity]

We get bored when we do not try new things. Why don't you consider donating your time to a help the less fortunate.

 

[bluekit]

I sorta am going through this. I am also in my mid-twenties. I had set ceratain big career goals and have pretty much met them all. I'm at this weird limbo state where I've met my life's first set of goals but haven't quite fianlized the next set yet. Make me feel restless and directionless. I'm tryoing to fix it now by giving myslef new long term goals to reach for.

That's where I'm at. Thanks for letting me know that I'm not alone. :worried:

 

[bluekit]

very true. as a 43 year old, I am finally happy in my own skin and don't care about "fitting in" anymore. people have to fit in with me! Also, when I turned 39 is when I completely changed careers to what I really wanted to do all along. don't fret. you are right on schedule. [/quote]

That's great to hear. Are you more happy now that you've made the career change? I'm generally comfortable in my own skin, at least a lot better than when I was a teenager. I'm sure everyone must have gone through a bit of this or that sometime in their life.

and GiaGiaJa, I think you're right. Nothing beats retail therapy right?

serendipity3kb, thanks for the suggestion. You're absolutely right. :shame: