Quarter Life Crisis? Here’s What to Do

One of the most common questions we’re asked when we’re young is, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” We dream big, imagine a life that’s rich with purpose, love, fun, adventure, and success, yet adulthood very rarely looks the way we imagine before we get there. The reality is, the life transition into adulthood is like any other life transition—it comes with growing pains.

If you’ve been navigating your way clunkily through early adulthood, wondering what you’re doing with your life, feeling a bit stuck, with perhaps sudden urges to burn everything to the ground—to quit the job, leave the relationship, book a one-way flight to the opposite side of the world—well, you could be having a quarter life crisis. Here’s what to do in a quarter life crisis if you’re seeking some comfort and inspiration—because it’s not the end of the world, even if it feels like it!

Is a quarter life crisis really a thing?

Feeling confused about where you are in life? You might be having a quarter life crisis.

While it’s often mocked as the “wannabe midlife crisis,” brushed off and undermined as a young person simply not knowing what they want, a quarter life crisis is just as real as what you may experience midlife.

The thing about crises is they hit you at points of transition. Just as a midlife crisis hits when the kids have grown up and you enter the second half of life and later adulthood, young people are just as likely to experience a crisis when making the transition into navigating adulthood for the first time.

Early adulthood is often made out to be all magic and rainbows. It screams freedom and adventure and “the world is your oyster!” Yet, it also comes with the pressure to figure it all out: Start the career you always dreamed about, put your all into your relationship, make money, save money, pay your rent, plant roots, and start a family.

It can very well come with more stress than the carefree adventure you dreamed about. Throw into the mix the pressure you put on yourself to find meaning, and BAM. Crisis.

What is a quarter life crisis?

Like any crisis, a quarter life crisis is a period of time that is filled with significant uncertainty and anxiety about the future. It often hits young people while transitioning from youth into adulthood. It’s marked by feelings of being dissatisfied, trapped, confused about your purpose and direction in life, lacking motivation, and fear of getting left behind, while also being overwhelmed with the expectations of being an adult.

A quarter life crisis can feel like impending doom, but it can also be a time of growth and transformation. It pushes you to question your identity, goals, values, and beliefs, sending you on a soul-searching quest to reflect and find new meaning and purpose in the world.

What age is a quarter life crisis?

Those quarter life crisis feelings can come at you hard.

A quarter life crisis often happens in your mid-to-late 20’s to early 30’s. It hits you after you make the transition from school or university into the working world, often with pressure from your parents, society, or even yourself to appear a certain way, settle down with a partner, start a family, climb the corporate ladder, and support yourself fully.

Despite the increase in responsibilities and pressure, you may feel like you don’t know yourself and your desires fully, or that you aren’t quite ready to take on the world. While the age varies person to person, a quarter life crisis often sneaks its way in when you feel that dissatisfaction, stress, or stagnancy that comes with the transition into early adulthood.

10 things to do in a quarter life crisis

The best quarter life crisis advice? Lean into the discomfort and let it fuel you to make positive change.

While you may feel like burning everything to the ground, perhaps just burn away the things that don’t serve you, take your time to discover what you truly desire instead, and get curious about what makes you feel excited to move forward into the future. If you’re wondering what to do in a quarter life crisis, here are a few ideas to spark some inspiration:

1. Spend time solo.

One of the biggest reasons you might experience a quarter life crisis is because the way you imagined your life doesn’t match what actually makes you feel good. In fact, while it’s easy to feel like you have it all figured out when you reach adulthood, it’s common to get there and realize there’s a whole lot you still don’t know about yourself.

So why not spend some time getting to know yourself again? The best way to do that is by spending time solo. Stop judging yourself for feeling stuck, and get curious instead. That could look like traveling solo and giving yourself an opportunity to step outside of your comfort zone, or simply spending an hour on your own every week to start to get comfortable in your own company.

2. Talk to your friends about it.

Talking to your friends will help you feel less alone.

Quarter life crises aren’t as widely spoken about as the infamous midlife crisis. Yet, if you allow yourself to open up about what you’re experiencing, it’s guaranteed that you’ll find other people who are going through the same thoughts and feelings as you.

Talk to your friends to normalize what you’re feeling—just talking about it can give you a sense of validation and belonging. Most often, talking will lead to developing a sense of community, more meaningful connections, and a support system for the moments when you need others to lean on. It will also show you that you are never alone.

3. Reach out for support.

Whether you have a supportive community of friends or not, there is always benefit in reaching out for professional support if you’re struggling to cope with a quarter life crisis. Therapy or counseling can provide a safe space for you to explore your dissatisfaction, stress, and identity questions while also helping you develop coping strategies so you can keep moving forward.

Whether you’re struggling with your career, relationship, or a downright existential crisis, a qualified therapist can offer guidance, validation, and practical tools to help you navigate the uncertainties that come with transitioning into adulthood. It’s the ultimate tool for support and personal growth through your quarter life crisis.

4. Start a new passion project.

If you’re stuck on what to do in a quarter life crisis, ask yourself, “what brings me joy and fulfillment?” There’s no right answer here. You may light up at the thought of painting, learning to play guitar, writing poetry, starting a blog, hiking, rock climbing, or renovating old furniture.

This is the time to try new things. Set aside time each week, even if it’s only an hour, to try something new.

It might lead you to a new hobby that makes you excited to get out of bed every morning, a side hustle to bring in a new stream of income, or even an internship so you can upskill and boost your resume. Don’t be afraid of being a beginner—it could lead you on a whole new path you never dreamed of before.

5. Practice mindfulness.

Nature provides the perfect place to practice mindfulness.

When the stress, anxiety, or even depression that can come with a quarter life crisis creeps in, it’s an invitation to drop into the present moment and be mindful. Mindfulness practices can look like incorporating daily meditation into your routine to cultivate a sense of calm and inner peace, journaling to get your thoughts out on paper and start to make sense of them, or doing breathwork to connect yourself to your physical body and release pent up emotions.

It can also just look like taking a bit more time to get outside in nature and go for a walk to calm your thoughts and center yourself. No matter what you fancy, developing a mindfulness practice can help you manage anxiety and regulate your emotions so that you feel more grounded during times of transition.

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6. Evaluate your career goals.

It can be tricky to spend years pursuing a degree, only to find that you don’t love the career opportunities it’s opened for you. If you’re struggling with career satisfaction, some of the best quarter life crisis advice is this: You are allowed to change your mind.

Spend time reflecting on your career goals. Does your current job align with your values, interests, and long-term vision for your life? Do you have other skills, strengths, or passions that could translate into another field?

Now is the time to take a risk and try something new—before you’re tied down with even more responsibilities. If you’re feeling stuck, you may even consider reaching out for career mentorship or counseling to help you gain clarity on what you’d like to do next.

7. Study something new.

If your introspection is leading you down a totally new path to unchartered territory, you may decide to use your quarter life crisis to fuel your inspiration to pursue new studies. Perhaps you’re contemplating a new career path and decide to study a new degree. Or maybe you’ve always dreamed of traveling to Italy to connect with your roots and decide to study Italian—or another language.

If you’re a forever student, you may find excitement in taking a short course to learn a new skill, signing up for an art class, or even studying on your own by filling your free time with books that open your mind and inspire you to take action toward what makes you happy.

8. Do something good.

Wherever you are in the world, doing good will help you feel good.

One of the best ways to bring meaning back into your life while struggling with a quarter life crisis is to take time to give back to the community. Volunteering is an excellent way to do this—whether you take a week, month, or even a year to volunteer abroad, or volunteer for a few hours each week locally in your community close to home.

While volunteering is an opportunity to make a difference in the world, contributing to a deeper sense of purpose, one of the biggest perks is the social connection. You’ll have the opportunity to work with other people who are also seeking connection and meaning, boosting your psychological well-being during a quarter life crisis.

9. Take a gap year.

If you have that urge to quit everything and book the one-way flight to the other side of the world…a quarter life crisis is the best time to do it. Before you have the responsibilities of a long-term partner, a career you want to pursue, and a family to feed, you are allowed to be selfish.

If you want some quarter life crisis advice, instead of wandering aimlessly through a new country in an attempt to run away from your problems, devote your gap year to self discovery. Infuse your travels with meaning by immersing fully in the culture, learning the language, volunteering, studying, teaching, or working abroad.

Let yourself be open to new connections. Practice saying “yes” to new experiences. Let the world open your eyes to all the ways life can be, and bring that inspiration back home with you.

10. Embrace change and the stage of not knowing.

Want to know the secret to surviving your quarter life crisis? It’s okay to not know.

If there’s one thing that’s certain in life, it’s this: Uncertainty and change is the only constant. Sure, transitional phases bring it on at a whole new level of intensity, but with uncertainty comes the practice of resilience, and with change comes growth.

Give yourself permission to not know, to not have everything figured out because you’ll never have all the answers. Instead, be open to change, to exploring new experiences, perspectives, and possibilities.

Let yourself become adaptable, let every struggle become an opportunity to learn, and adopt curiosity to keep your quarter life crisis exciting. You may just find that your quarter life crisis actually leaves you feeling empowered and inspired to take on your future.

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Don’t sweat your quarter life crisis—try to address it and adjust accordingly!

Instead of letting it get you down, figure out what to do in a quarter life crisis and let it change your life for the better.

While a quarter life crisis can feel overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be the end of the world—it may just be the end of the world as you know it. Put your fears at ease by reminding yourself it’s normal to feel overwhelmed, stressed out, and confused while navigating a life transition, and be kind to yourself instead.

Lean on practices that bring you peace, while allowing yourself to explore new growth. Remember, life doesn’t have to look any particular way. The secret is to let change empower you and never stop chasing the things that make you happy!

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