The Psychology of your 20s

At the start of every year, I choose a theme - not just goals, but a guiding philosophy. For 2026, that theme is  doing less and achieving more. In this episode, we explore why focus beats busyness, why saying no creates better outcomes, and how choosing depth over overwhelm can actually lead to more success.  Our discussion includes:  Why a yearly theme is more powerful than tradit...

In our final guest episode for the year, we're hearing from the listeners! I asked you all to call in with the biggest dilemmas you've had in your 20s; questions you want answered, or just situations where you may have been desperate for advice and you answered the call! We answer 7 of your most burning questions, including: How do I end a friendship in my 20s How do I get my life back after an ex...

Find your dream job in your 20s is no easy feat, in fact your dream job probably doesn't exist, but you CAN determine what kind of career path is best for you based on your personality. Today we have on George Appling whose research on the 5 career paths can help us determine where to next! Our discussion includes:  The five main career paths and what they entail When should you pursue your p...

Money and love: the two things we stress about most in our twenties, and yet we rarely talk about how deeply connected they are. In this episode, I’m joined by Jack Howard, Head of Money Wellness at Ally, to unpack the psychology of money in our relationships and how it shapes who we date, how we fight, and how we build a life together. In this episode, we explore: Why money and love are so...

I'm officially a UK resident! My thoughts on moving and this exciting new chapter for the podcast x ORDER MY BOOK Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com     The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require per...

Getting diagnosed with ADHD as an adult can feel like both a relief and a reckoning. Suddenly your past makes so much more sense… but now you’re faced with learning a whole new way of managing your brain, your time, your relationships and your self-worth. In this episode, I’m joined by Chris Wang, founder and CEO of Shimmer, who was diagnosed with ADHD at 28. Together we unpack...

Something we may not know is that relationships typically follow a fairly similar life cycle. Author and relationship expert, Thais Gibson has articulated this idea in her new theory on the 6 stages of relationships, and how to know which you're in and when to break away. We discuss: How long should you date before you ask for a label? Why the honeymoon phase can’t last (and why that’s...

These days it's easy to feel observed and, therefore, judged by everyone for everything, whether that's online or in real life. Eli Rallo is an author and creator who understands this experience better than most of us and today we chat about her journey from a hardworking, theatre loving child to a nearly three time author and the Carrie Bradshaw of this generation. Our discussion includes topics...

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...