Quarterlife Center - Counseling for Young Adults

Do you complain about your job, feel irritable with coworkers, and/or dread going into work? It’s not unusual to get down about your job once in awhile, but chronic, every-day dissatisfaction demands a closer look. Maybe it’s time to find out what is going on! My 4 tips for helping you be happier in your work are below—and they can help anyone. But first, it’s helpful to take time to figure out exactly what is going on. One of the most common symptoms of a quarter life crisis is job dissatisfaction. For example, it is common for people in their 20s and 30s to begin wondering if they are in the right job, even though it is one that they used to enjoy. It is also common to start having irrational doubts about your competency. Regardless of the reasons, there are things you can do to help. Before you start planning your exit strategy, explore these 4 ways to help you can be happier in your work. 1. Tune into what you LIKE about the work you do. Remember what it was that you liked about th...

Being in your twenties and thirties as a quarterlifer is an exciting time full of transitions, firsts, and, of course, plenty of questions and unknowns. For many millennials, the questions and unknowns overtake and drown out the excitement, leading to feelings of being lost and having no direction. A great first step toward finding your way is to create a personal vision statement. From that basic, but critical first step, you can build the life YOU want. Moving forward without one is a lot like trying to get somewhere you have never been without Google Maps or WAZE. Moving forward WITH one can improve happiness for millennials. A vision statement should capture your values, goals and priorities for your life. Refer back to it, edit it as needed over time, and rely on it to stay focused on what really matters to you. Use this as a tool to guide your choices about romance, friendship, family, and career. How do you begin? You must think about the life that YOU want, NOT the life that ot...

It’s Week 8 of working from home (WFH) during the COVID-19 pandemic for many of you. You may be feeling increasingly restless as the monotonous days take a toll on you. Here are three practical things you can do to have a positive impact on your mental health. Try some of these to improve your mood while you’re working from home. Give Your Workspace at Home a Refresh. You’ve been working from home now for weeks during the COVID-19 pandemic, and by now, you’ve probably figured out what you need. Now it’s time to assess what adjustments and updates are needed to refresh your home workspace. First, make sure you have the extension cords, chargers, headphones, and phone/tablet stand you need. If you haven’t yet, buy some extras so you don’t have to move them from room to room. Second, make sure your desk and lighting are working well for you. Are your lamps producing too much glare? Do you have enough natural light at your desk? Thirdly, consider the location of the workspace in your home....

As a therapist, I have heard some version of this many times in counseling sessions with my clients: “I have done a lot of things in my life, and my life seems pretty great from the outside, yet I feel so lost and dissatisfied on the inside. I don’t know how I got here. Why do I feel depressed when I have all of this in my life? What’s wrong with me?” These clients have, in fact, accomplished a lot and maybe even met many of their goals, or at least have done what they thought they were supposed to do: gone to college, studied and worked hard, started a successful career, and maybe gotten married and had children. It’s true: from the outside looking in, an observer would think that they “have it all.” The bottom line is: You don’t have to go through the rest of your life feeling this way. You can start to feel better. You can create the life you want. In this article, I will show you how you can feel happier and more satisfied in your life, by using a straightforward, s...

Are you feeling stressed out? Here are 4 tips for reducing your stress: 1) Nurture yourself. Do whatever it is that nurtures you. Take a walk. Call a friend. Read a book. Journal. Meditate. Cook your favorite meal. Get a massage. Take a nap. Watch a movie. Make time to do whatever it is that helps you unwind and relax. 2) Practice gratitude. Start a gratitude journal. Try it for 1 week and see how it feels. For 1 week, write down 3 things each day that you are grateful for. Examples are “I feel happy about my new shoes,” “I am thankful for my supportive brother,” and “I’m grateful that I’m in good health.” 3) Reach out to friends. You don’t have to (and you shouldn’t) manage your stress alone. Research has found that social support is an important factor in reducing stress and improving physical and mental health. The number of friends you have is less important than the quality of your friendships. In other words, regardless of the number of friends you have or how oft...