Are the supposed ‘happiest years of your life’ proving to be anything but? We found out how to give your crises the heave-ho with Origins and two lifestyle gurus who’ve been through them too...
Are you going through a quarter life crisis? If you were born between the early 1980s to the early 2000s, chances are you’re part of a growing sector of 20-somethings considered to be the most stressed out demographic in history according to new findings from Origins. Yikes.
Faced with the pressure of major life decisions after University and increasing financial woes , these years can more often than not prove to be the most trying rather the best days of our lives. A confusing time for spirit, skin and senses alike, how’s best to get through it unscathed?
We attended our very own Quarter Life Crisis rehab with founders of positive lifestyle brand addictivedaughter.com , Persia and Joey and Origins to find out how to combat stress and equip skin with the tools it needs to deal with the most demanding of transitory phases.
Why are quarter life crises so prevalent?
According to Addictive Daughter, the two main causes are:
1. We are the first generation to be earning less than our parents and after the credit crunch, young people affected often struggle with feelings of not being good enough.
2. We now have a decade to play with. The average age to get married used to be around 24 back in our parents’ day and now it’s about 33, meaning we have nearly 10 years more of doing whatever we’d like before we ‘settle down.’ Rather than a positive though, this often results in a compare and despair mentality, thinking we haven’t achieved expected ‘life goals’ by certain ages.
The solution: Viewing our 20s as the launch pad to the rest of our lives and being more mindful of that in our day to day decisions. Seeking to turn negative habits into a much more positive ones in order to look after ourselves from the inside out.
Addictive Daughter’s top tips for beating the Millennial blues
1. The ‘Right Now’ rule: with so much choice for 20-somethings, it can be really overwhelming when people (friends, family, dates etc.) ask you ‘what you’re going to do with your life.’ Before responding to this dreaded question, simply insert the words “right now I’m…” This instantly takes the pressure off of feeling like you have to have it all figured out. Remember, decisions don’t have to be permanent; they can evolve as you do.
2. In our quarter-life years, we tend to be super-critical of ourselves. We’re trying to live up to an impossible image of perfection as seen in the media, and so constantly feel less than. For 21 days, write down 3 different things you value about yourself – big or small. When we start to treat ourselves with love, other people will mirror that and treat us with respect, too.
MORE GLOSS: How to overcome low self-esteem
3. We live in such a busy culture nowadays. Because of technology, there is an ever-present demand on our time and energy, and we feel obligated to reply to that email, text or call immediately. Try taking a regular ‘Digital Detox’. Whether it’s not answering emails after 9pm, or choosing to return someone’s call at a time that suits your schedule, commit to reclaiming your time by getting offline.
MORE GLOSS: Should smartphones come with a health warning?
4. Make NNT (non-negotiable time) your priority - do 3 things every day that are about taking care of you.
5. (Lovingly) let go of the celery in your life: that which takes more energy to consume than what it actually does for you. Let go of friends and family that give you little return for what you return. Detach yourself from the drains (the people who leave you empty) and surround yourself with radiators (the people who fill you with energy).
6. Be a gratitude junkie. Stop constantly feeling like you don't have enough but be grateful for what you have. Picking out the highlights in your life, not the negatives, perks you up no end.
Skin problems in our 20s
Key skin problems facing Millennials
Dullness, opaque appearance, enlarged pores, stressed skin, uneven skin tone, rough texture, lacklustre appearance and redness due to reduced cell turnover and carbonylation, i.e. a protein change in the skin’s surface as a result of external stressors such as pollution and smoking. This causes it to become less radiant and more translucent over time.
Recognising a key gap in the skincare market for women in their 20s (aka Millennials) who have outgrown their anti-acne products but are not quite ready for more potent anti-ageing products, Origins has launched its new Skin Renewal Serum , £32. Containing a cocktail of skin goodies including Canadian willowherb, chestnut seed extract, Persian silk tree and the Laminaria Saccharina algae, each ingredient has been carefully selected to specifically address a particular Millennial complexion concern.
The Get The Gloss verdict
After a month of use, our skin was left looking more radiant, more supple, more hydrated and much softer too. With a creamy, luxuriously velvet-like texture, it also double-tasks as a great primer. So if you’re going through a quarter life skin crisis and looking to get your glow back, this serum makes for an effective way of giving sallow complexions a noticeable trans-seasonal wake-up-call just in time for spring.
If you want to find more useful advice for getting through your quarter life crisis, sign up for Addictive Daughter’s 21 day challenge at addictivedaughter.com and for a dose of daily technological feel good factor, download the Origins Quarter Life Crisis App to pimp photos and skincare regimes alike!
Follow us @getthegloss and Ayesha @ayesha_muttu .