If you’re in your twenties, you’re likely feeling the combination of the excitement of this defining decade and the pressure to figure out your entire life. The thrill of newfound independence and opportunity can be quickly squelched by worry, disillusionment, or disappointment. Like thousands of other twenty somethings, you may have experienced what life coach and quarter-life expert Christine Hassler calls an “Expectation Hangover.” This manifesto explores the all-important questions and life choices of these turbulent yet exciting years. Twenty somethings may commiserate about the challenges they face, but few resources offer practical lessons or suggestions. In these pages, quarter-life men and women tell their stories, sharing their successes and failures, along with their frustrations and realizations. The author’s insightful commentary and “take away” suggestions provide the tools and skills you need to create change and direction in your life. You’ll recognize and articulate your personal goals, paving the way to what you truly want. "In 20 Something Manifesto , Christine Hassler teaches the class you wish had been offered in school - Life 101! This book is packed with real-world tools twenty somethings can use to create a successful life on their own terms." — Greg Behrendt , coauthor of He's Just Not That into You and It's Called a Breakup Because It's Broken "Christine Hassler demonstrates a true gift - the ability to inspire twenty somethings to take stock of where they are and take the steps to become the people they want to be." — Alexandra Levit , author of They Don't Teach Corporate in College "A great read for twenty somethings seeking honest answers to life's challenging questions....I strongly recommend this book." — Jason Ryan Dorsey , Gen Y consultant and author of My Reality Check Bounced! "Important information in an easy-to-digest format... highly recommended." — Library Journal - Starred Review 20 Something Manifesto Quarter-Lifers Speak Out About Who They Are, What They Want, and How to Get It By Christine Hassler New World Library Copyright © 2008 Christine Hassler All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-57731-595-7 Contents List of Exercises, Preface, Introduction, PART ONE TWENTY SOMETHING IS TWENTY EVERYTHING, Chapter One. Your Twenty-Something Journey, Chapter Two. Expectation Hangovers, PART TWO WHO AM I?: THE SELF-AWARENESS CONTINUUM, Chapter Three. Basic Self-Awareness, Chapter Four. Investigative Self-Awareness, Chapter Five. Integrated Self-Awareness, PART THREE NAVIGATING THE TWENTIES TRIANGLE, Chapter Six. What Do I Want?, Chapter Seven. How Do I Get What I Want?, PART FOUR THE TWENTY-SOMETHING PUZZLE, Chapter Eight. Friends and Family: Your Network, Chapter Nine. Love, Chapter Ten. Work and Career, PART FIVE SURVIVING AND THRIVING, Chapter Eleven. Tough Stuff, Chapter Twelve. Body, Mind, and Money, Chapter Thirteen. Shift Happens, Afterword: Share Your Twenty-Something Story, Acknowledgments, List of Contributors, Index, About the Author, CHAPTER 1 YOUR TWENTY-SOMETHING JOURNEY "Being a twenty something is a time when everything in life is uncertain. I feel like the rug is constantly being pulled out from under me. The overwhelming guilt for not being happy for what I have in my life combined with constantly feeling like there is more to achieve and not enough time is exhausting. I wonder, is this as good as it gets?" Executive administrator, 24, single, Minnesota Remember puberty? Would you rather not? For many, those memories aren't exactly fond ones — acne, voice cracking, mood swings, and uncomfortable awkwardness. Yet we all expected it and made our way through it. How come we don't call adolescence a "crisis"? Because it's a normal part of our development. A twenty-something crisis is just as normal as our puberty "crisis," but that's not how most people treat it. Twenty somethings can get caught up in a tremendous amount of judgment — thinking they are alone, that there is something wrong with them, or that they should have it all figured out by now. In this chapter we'll canvas the main reasons that twenty-something transitions come to feel like crises and the "syndromes" that result. Many times it boils down to expectations. Where do you find yourself in the kaleidoscope of experiences and stories below? Where are you in your journey? I can guarantee that for every story here, there are thousands of other twenty somethings who can relate. "As a twenty something, I feel like I have the world at my fingertips, but I don't know what to do with it all or any part of it." Consumer analyst, 23, dating, North Dakota CHECKLISTERS AND PLANNERS Do you live your life by a checklist? Have you developed a master plan that you pressure yourself to stick to? First high school, then college, then job, maybe grad school, then promotion, then relationship, then marriage, then buy a house, then have kids,