Millennials aren’t the kids you think they are. The oldest members of the cohort are now approaching their 40s, the age of the mid-life crisis. But they’re doing their crisis much differently than their parents did.
Millennial Mid-Life Crisis
Gen Y faces the same struggles with middle age as the early generations, but their response is different. They’re no longer getting hot red sports cars or engaging in risky behavior, instead they’re exploring passions and scaling back.
Here, millennials share their struggles and the bad (or different) decisions they’ve made when faced with their own mortality at middle age.
Trying Junk
Millennials who grew up fast didn’t have the opportunity to explore their passions. Now they’re throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks with tennis lessons, open mic nights, and learning to play an instrument. That’s a millennial mid-life crisis I can get on board with – oh, and as a Millennial, I’m guilty as charged.
And Splurging On It
They’re not just taking a $20 lesson. They’re buying $5,000 drum sets, getting new degrees, and spending all their money on supplies for their new hobby.
Burned Out
People close to their forties today faced one crisis after another throughout their lives. 9/11 defined their life; then they entered the job market during a massive financial crisis, and endured endless wars, COVID-19, rampant inflation, and stagnant wages.
They’re tired.
Ready To Quit
Many nearing the midpoint of their careers are ready to throw in the towel. “I’m ready to quit my great career and be a stay-at-home mom and open an Etsy shop,” shared one.
Tired
The ever-increasing quest for more profits and greater productivity leaves many millennials exhausted. Even those who didn’t have kids struggle to manage.
They’re tired of the constant battle to earn enough money to survive.
Caring for Ailing Parents
Many Millennials are trapped in the sandwich that comes with middle age. They’re caring for ailing parents while trying to maintain their careers and raise their own kids. They don’t have the bandwidth for a crisis.
A Perfume Collection
One Millennial shared that they bought over 400 different perfume scents in the past three years as a way of coping with the collection of never-ending crises.
Homesteading
Quite a few Millennials decided modern society doesn’t work, so they left it all to build their own life on a homestead. These are the folks that would have divorced their partner and bought a fancy sports car 30 years ago, but today, ditching it all is the new splurge.
Traveling
Some Millennials decided it’s time to travel the world. With the growing climate crises, pending wars, and rise of fascism, we might not have the opportunity in a few years.
Existential Crisis
Midlife is a perfect time for an existential crisis. Many Millennials ask why they’re here and what they’re supposed to do with their lives. Some find answers in new hobbies, traveling, or homesteading.
Career Change
Who thought it was a good idea to make 18-year-olds decide what they should do for the rest of their lives? Many Gen Y’rs find themselves quitting their jobs and starting fresh in mid-life.
Collecting Motorcycles
Many Millennials still can’t afford houses, so they spend their money on new toys they don’t need. You can only ride one motorcycle at a time, but that doesn’t stop them from buying more.
Ditching Everything
Some realized their entire lives were wrong. They moved, switched careers, went no contact with family, and ditched their old friends to start completely fresh.
Divorce
Millennials who married in their early twenties are dealing with the most common outcome of the mid-life crisis: divorce.
How To Find Your Purpose
If you’re feeling depressed because your life lacks meaning, explore ways to bring more purpose to your life.
Here’s how to find your purpose.