Life Passing me By

[Curious79]

Hey everyone.  I am 25 years old and currently work in sales for an IT company.  Whilst I like my job, I feel as if life is passing me by and I would like to do something more fun rather than being stuck in an office 9-5.  I am going to apply for a cabin crew job at an airline just to make my life a little more exciting. I feel like I should do something with my life before it is too late.  The thing is, I have a long term boyfriend and lots of friends and go out a lot.  I had my tongue pierced the other day as I feel like I am starting to get too old to do crazy things like that.  I know that really, I'm not old, Am I maybe having a quarter life crisis.  Does anyone else feel this way??

[KittyGlitter]

I remember feeling like that around your age. Don't panic though. You can do crazy things at any age. There is no law to say you can't get your tongue pierced at 80 if you really wanted to! It's good to reassess one's life, so I think you have a healthy attitude. Some people just get stuck in a job/relationship they hate and fear of change prevents them from moving on. Sometimes I think we rely on too much of what others think we should be doing, as opposed to listening to ourselves. Instead of seeing it as a quarter life crisis, look upon it as a period of reassessment and embrace it because this may be the catalyst for new and exciting things to happen in your life!

[ian.miller]

If you are really wanting to broaden your life go travelling - that's the only advice I would ever give. It's not as simple as just hoping on a plane (certain practicalities) but it's also not nearly as complicated as fuddy-duddies make out.

I went away for a year and have now landed a job editing a travel mag, which makes a change from programming call centres doesn't it :)

[nicola_red]

I know totally what you mean.  I am 30 in ten days' time and at the moment I have a panic almost every day about it creeping up on me.  I work in a job where I'm not using my degree or my Masters and I worry all the time about wasting my life in a job I don't really want to be in.  I still do stuff like dye my hair and get piercings - and I'm planning to get another tattoo on my birthday - but I'm still paranoid about looking old and am constantly looking for lines and grey hairs etc.  I had almost 3 years where I couldn't work at all due to having some operations and I really regret losing that time.  But I'm applying for a PhD this year to try and get back into doing something I really want to be doing (writing) and in the meantime I think all you can do is try not to panic too much!  Time will pass however much you worry about it!

[Scarlett]

Yes I certainly feel like that! I am going to be 35 on Thursday. This is horrendous, and I constantly worry about not achieving as much as I should with my life. But I also realise that this is a Capricorn trait (like you) and we are renowned for beating ourselves up about our achievements!! Like you, I have been ill for several years, and am still ill now, which is stopping me from doing things I want to do. But I am determined to give up my job etc this year and move away to do something more creative. So, I REALLY sympathise! All you can do is make the most of each day. Set yourself small tasks to achieve, and maybe get a friend to badger you about doing them. (My friend regularly sets me writing tasks via email, and I am far more likely to do them if they are set by someone who has high expectations of me!)

GOOD LUCK.

[Scarlett]

(Sorry-I meant Nicola_red being the Capricorn!!)

[OBonio]

What's crazy about having your tongue pierced? Apart from paying someone to put a whole in you where there's not supposed to be one... ;o).  Seriously though, if you're not happy where your life is going, have a look through your local college prospectus for any courses you might like to try (I can recommend chines cooking).  Give them a go and see where it takes you.  Always good to have on your CV too.

[MuppetBabies]

Don't feel like you are freaking out. I am 24, have just quit my job, and have no idea what I am going to do next! What I fing truly freaky though, is that many people just fall into jobs after uni/college/school, and hey prest! You are 45, and you are somewhere you never intended to be in your life. What you are doing is trying to make sure you are making yourself happy and fulfilled.

 

I know it's scary when you are trying to make changes to your life, and especially so when you are from a peer group/background where people don't do things like give up 'good' jobs to take on something more menial in the hope that you might one day get somewhere that makes you happy. I sometimes feel too old to be doing certain things, but then I think 'Nah!', it's just the people around you. As long as you feel the urge or desire to do something, you are not too old to do it. As my soon to be former collaegue said to me the other day, fear is often the overriding factor in not making a change in your life, but at 25, you ought not to be scared of doing different things. The mindset you are in at the moment is an opportunity, not a threat.