The Quarter Life Crisis: How The Self Esteem Movement Played A Role

If you are a millennial and struggling with self-doubt, anxiety, and confusion about your direction and purpose, you might be going through a Quarter Life Crisis. If this resonates with you, I want you to take a deep breath in knowing that you are not alone. Struggling during your 20s and 30s is incredibly common, and has become even more familiar for those of the millennial generation. There are many factors contributing to this, including increased use of technology and economic problems. But today, I want to introduce why The Self Esteem Movement has played a role in our generation feeling panicked about “adulting” and securing a life of purpose.

The Self Esteem Movement was based on the belief that if we encouraged all children to feel important and special, then they would grow up to be healthier, happier adults.  If you are a millennial (born between 1981-1996), you may recall your parents or other adults telling you things like, “you are special,” “you can do/be anything,” “they sky is the limit,” etc. Although their intentions were great, researchers noticed this backfiring as millennials began moving into young adulthood. When millennials began exiting college and entering the “real world”, we were presented with the rude awakening that life is much harder than we were prepared for.

When life does not meet our expectations, it is only natural that we assume something is wrong. When we can’t figure out the answer to this problem, we come to the conclusion that there must be something wrong with us. Without proper support, a Quarter Life Crisis can lead to feelings of hopelessness, shame and disconnection.

If you or someone you know is struggling in a Quarter Life Crisis, please reach out! I specialize in QLC issues and hold great pride in helping people navigate this difficult time in life.

Have you noticed an impact of the Self Esteem Movement? Positive or negative? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!