The Psychology of your 20s

Brittney Saunders is the founder of Fayt the Label, one of Australia's biggest clothing brands and empires. She launched the business from a shed in her backyard in her 20s and has grown it into a multimillion dollar brand. Before Fayt, she launched a number of other businesses as well, and today she tells her story and gives her best advice. We discuss:  Britt’s journey from influencer...

Plastic surgery rates are on the rise, especially amongst people in their 20s, so what drives people to get plastic surgery? How does it intersect with psychology, insecurity, confidence, class, social media? In today's episode we are joined by Dr Rady Rahban, a board certified plastic surgeon operating out of Beverley Hills to discuss:  What drives people to get plastic surgery? Why are we s...

In your 20s you're told to be as ambitious as you can be, go after your dreams, work hard, be delusional, pursue your passion at any cost. How can we do that without our lives and health crumbling? What is the balance between ambition and appreciation? In today's episode we bring on Amina AlTai, author of The Ambition Trap to talk about:  Why having more ambition doesn’t always make you...

We can be so fixed on a job, a person, an outcome that we fuse our identity to it – and, crucially, forget that we’re okay without it. In today’s bonus episode, we unpack detachment: why we cling so tightly to people and outcomes, what over-attachment does to our mind and mood, and how to loosen the grip in a way that feels calm, kind, and clear. We explore: •   &n...

There is a huge emphasis on treating romance as the main marker of a successful life – from questions from family, to seemingly perfect online couples – it’s hard to believe anything else when society celebrates this kind of ideal. In this episode, we look at how romance is often seen as the main focus of our 20s, what it can distract us from, and how we can start to approach it...

We’ve all been there - telling ourselves that ‘life is short’ as we click add to cart. Whether it’s an expensive dinner, a holiday you can’t quite afford, or another ‘little treat’, doom spending has become the defining financial habit of our generation. In this episode, we unpack why we spend when the world feels uncertain - the psychology, the emotion, a...

Going through a breakup is always going to be devastating. Heartbreak is one of the most gut-wrenching human experiences: it affects our brain, our body, our routines, our identity, and our sense of the future. Why does it hurt so much, and how do we actually get through it? In this episode, we break down the psychology of surviving a breakup: the science, the emotions, and the practical tools tha...

Our 20s are sold to us as the decade of peak desire - full of passion, spontaneity, and effortless intimacy. But for so many of us, that isn’t the reality. When libido dips or fluctuates, it can feel confusing, isolating, and even shameful. In this episode, we ask why it is so common to struggle with libido in our 20s, what’s actually happening beneath the surface when desire feels dis...

We all have habits we wish we could change - patterns we repeat even when we know they’re hurting us. So why is it so hard to stop? In this episode, we explore the psychology behind toxic habits. How they form, why they become automatic, and what they’re actually doing for us emotionally. We explore: •        How habits become wired through repetition and rewar...

We’ve all heard someone say, “I’m such a perfectionist”, like it’s a badge of honour. But what does perfectionism really mean - and what’s hiding beneath it? In today’s bonus episode, we unpack the psychology of perfectionism: the fear, the origins, and how to finally let go of “never good enough”. We explore: •        ...

Have you ever met someone who always seems to see themselves as the one who’s been wronged - or maybe noticed that pattern in yourself? The sense that life is happening to you, not for you? It might not just be negativity - it could be a victim mentality, a learned way of seeing the world that often begins as a form of protection. In this episode, we take a look at the psychology behind the...

We’re always told that gratitude is the route to happiness – that we should be grateful for every experience we have. But when life feels like it’s falling apart, gratitude can feel less like a comfort and more like pressure. In reality, gratitude and pain often have to coexist. In this episode, we ask whether gratitude actually does make us happier - what it really is, how it re...

It sounds simple. Split the rent, share space, maybe finally stop packing an overnight bag. But living together is one of the biggest relationship transitions of our twenties, and it brings with it some very real psychological, emotional, and even social shifts. In this episode, we unpack the questions around living with your partner in your 20s - what it means, what it changes, and what it reveal...

You know that feeling when time disappears, your focus sharpens, and everything just clicks? That’s what we often call ‘flow state’ - a powerful experience of total immersion where effort feels effortless. In today’s bonus episode, we uncover what flow really is, how it works, and why finding it might just change how you think about focus and fulfilment. We explore: •...

Extreme thinness is back in trend (again) so today, we explore the psychology behind why and the impact its having? In this episode, we'll discuss the rise of skinnytok and how this so-called ‘wellness’ version of thinness convinces us to be smaller, neater, cleaner, more controlled. What to expect: •        How to tell whether content is skinnytok aligned &bul...

Have you ever felt that urge for payback? Revenge is one of the oldest, most universal human instincts. It seems like it promises justice, balance, or even peace. But why does it so often leave us feeling worse, not better? In this episode, we dive into the psychology of revenge - what drives it, what it costs us, and why our brains find it so hard to let go. We explore: •     &nbsp...

Everyone is secretly searching for the perfect relationship, but what if your relationship is just 'good enough'? What if you feel secure, or fine about the person you're with but secretly want more? In today's episode we break down what it means to settle in your 20s, including:  The pressure to be 'coupled up' during your 20s How milestone anxiety creates unfulfilled relationships  Wha...

We think of failure as a terrible thing or something to be avoided. But when you learn to fall in love with failure, a whole new level of growth occurs that will have you seeing progress faster than ever. In our 20s, the so called failure-decade, we talk about how you can learn to fail, including:  The reasons we fear failure  Why our definition of success is inaccurate and socially cond...

We’ve all heard the term thrown around – in books, in TV dramas, in news articles – we’re taught to be scared of it. But rarely do we consider what it actually means. In today’s bonus episode, we take a look at sociopathy. We explore: Differentiating sociopathy and psychopathy Common misconceptions Early origins of the term The role of self-awareness and masking in so...

Have you ever felt like everything in your late twenties is suddenly up for grabs - your relationships, your career, even who you thought you were? It might be your Saturn return - a period of upheaval, self-reflection, and big life questions that’s as much psychological as it is astrological. In this episode, we look at the psychology behind Saturn returns - why this age feels so turbulent,...

Have you ever felt like the world around you isn’t quite real, or like you’re watching your life from the outside? Have you ever driven somewhere and suddenly wondered how you got there? It might be dissociation - a surprisingly common psychological experience that can be both protective and, at times, unsettling. In this episode we look at the psychology behind dissociation – wh...

Friendships should be a source of joy – people who just make life lighter. But not all friendships feel that way. Some leave us drained, insecure, or questioning our worth. And it can be hard to admit when a friendship has become toxic. Learning to recognise when a friendship is no longer healthy, and how to navigate that shift, is a crucial part of protecting your well-being and building a...

Today I'm reflecting on some of the lessons I've been taking from my early 20s. We all have regrets about things we wish we'd done differently or not done at all, and I'm hoping you can learn from mine.  We talk about everything from bad financial decisions, ghosting friends, staying in relationships farrr too long, to impulse buying, ignoring gut feelings and fighting with family. Listen now...

Hitting rock bottom is one of the most painful human experiences - when the future is blurry, the past feels heavy, and you barely recognize the person staring back in the mirror. Maybe it’s the end of a relationship, losing your job, battling addiction, or simply feeling like everything you built has crumbled. In this episode, we explore what those lowest points really feel like, why we som...

In this bonus release, I am sharing an episode of my other podcast, MANTRA. This week's mantra is I Am Not Here to Manage Other People’s Emotions. It's a common trap to feel responsible for the feelings of those around us, often at the expense of our own emotional well-being. But true empathy means holding space for others without taking on their emotional burden or feeling obligated to fix...