Sunday, January 19, 2014

Reflections on a quarter life crisis


When I was 25, I experienced a quarter life crisis. That’s right. Laugh. Many of my co-workers at the time did. I bought a couple books on the topic. Yes. Books exist. But then I didn’t read them; mostly because I was relentlessly teased by people who were probably experiencing their mid-life crisis. The books have since been given away – unread.

But it doesn’t make the experience any less real. And people still experience it.  See YouTube clip below:


The quarter life crisis is a result of truly feeling adult and then realizing it’s not all you thought it would be. In my family, 25 was a magical number. All the women in my family turned 25. Over and over again. So I idolized 25. I imagined having a walk-in closet with clothes and never having the feeling of nothing to wear. I would get married at 25. I would have a successful career at 25. Money wouldn’t be an issue. Maybe I would even get pregnant at 25. I would certainly have a dog at 25. One vivid memory of 25 was when I was in my Scottish Terrier stage. (Now I am in a Kromfohrlander phase. I am pretty sure this one will stick.)

It took me a few years to fully shed my quarter-life crisis skin. During that time I was able to release that constant nagging jealously that came about when something significant happened to my friends or siblings i.e. engagement, house purchase, marriage, pregnancy, etc.

And also that feeling that life hadn’t started yet. That one was a harder one to shake. I think it might be more challenging for people who don’t go to school for a specific career. Wandering from job to job until you find a career can be somewhat deflating. How do you find meaning in life when your job is not satisfying your desire and ambitions? So I took control of it. I made sure I felt content outside of work by studying and then teaching yoga. I started my life.

As I enter my 7th year of teaching yoga and near the end of my trainings to earn my 200-RYT certificate, I feel amazed that my journey will have been 8 years in the making. I signed up for three trainings this year and then I will have three trainings to complete next year. It has been a long and winding path, but I am so thankful that I have been able to teach at the YMCA throughout my education and evolution as a leader in yoga. Yoga helped me find peace of mind and probably helped me leave the quarter-life crisis in the dust.

To be continued…