The quarter life crisis is not some imaginary construct we millennials made up.

Despite the sarcastic eye rolls it induces and the judgmental media headlines it inspires, British psychologists found that the emerging adult struggle of coping with anxiety surrounding unemployment, underemployment and debt is not simply the stuff of Facebook oversharing, but a very real challenge for today’s young adults, supported with empirical research and data.

While Time magazine and other Boomer driven outlets may attribute the quarter life crisis to the unbridled narcissism of the millennial generation, I’m gonna give my gen Y counterparts some credit with context – financial crisis, unprecedented youth un- and under-employment and record student loan debt.

Serving as targets for mass, unrelenting criticism in the midst of a sincere crisis, it’s no wonder millennials feel disdainful of their generational title and all that’s become associated with it. That said, the solution is not to become a victim of the narrative, but to apply the quintessential millennial quality of disruption and demand better.

 

[click_to_tweet tweet=”The solution is not to become a victim of the narrative, but to disrupt and demand better.  ” quote=”The solution is not to become a victim of the narrative, but to disrupt and demand better. “]

 

Millennials are Awesome

 

Though characterizations of gen Y are largely negative, ranging from entitled to lazy, millennials are actually pretty awesome. Their unapologetic commitment to their beliefs and values have encouraged positive change everywhere from Wall Street to the Supreme Court.

Millennials have demanded more from corporations, leading to increased transparency and a surge in environmentally friendly and socially beneficial practices.

Millennials have demanded more from their employers, resulting in greater (though far from perfect) equality and employee friendly policies.

Millennials have demanded more from society, bringing urgency to social issues – serving as catalysts for positive, progressive change.

It’s now time for millennials to demand more of themselves.

 

Using the Quarter Life Crisis as a Catalyst

 

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Millennials are building the world on their terms – it’s time for us to build our LIVES on our terms. ” quote=”Millennials are building the world on their terms – it’s time for us to build our LIVES on our terms. “]

 

In getting sucked into the vortex of media negativity and generational criticism however, many millennials have become trapped in their quarter life crises – victims of the undeniably difficult circumstances of their adulthood.

Rather than resigning themselves to these circumstances though, millennials can and should use their quarter life crisis as a catalyst for positive change.

 

Don’t Wait For the Wake Up Call

 

Unfortunately (or fortunately), personal finance doesn’t have the health equivalent of a heart attack. There’s no lightning bolt moment to serve as a wake up call.

Rather, financial failure tends to surface with a slow creep – often accompanied by a gradual settling for the circumstances and status quo in the process.

The trouble with this kind of gradual acceptance of defeatist circumstances is that it lends itself to inaction and disengagement.

How many times have you thought or said…

• I’ll get to it later
• It’s too overwhelming to deal with now
• I’ll save, invest, pay off debt when…

… or any other version of financial procrastination thereof?

Stop waiting for the wake up call! This is it!

Use your quarter life crisis as your call to action, because the reality is, the life you want – no matter it looks like – costs money.

 

[click_to_tweet tweet=”The life you want, no matter it looks like, costs money – don’t settle! ” quote=”The life you want, no matter it looks like, costs money – don’t settle! “]

 

Even if you feel entirely lost about what you want otherwise, you can still start engaging with your finances by seeking out information on savings, investing and budgeting.

By taking action immediately, you’ll have more options to live a life on your terms whenever you figure out what a life on your terms looks like. And you’ll undoubtedly empower your life – present and future – in the process.

The future of your life is what you make of it – get your money’s worth!