The Psychology of your 20s

It's said that around 1/3 of society has tattoos - that increases to nearly half for people in their 20s. What is it about this permanent form of art that so many of us feel called to get? And what are the psychological underpinnings behind our design choices, why we may find ourselves wanting more and more tattoos, the relationship to childhood experiences and which tattoos we may come to regret....

I'm turning 25! Here are all my thoughts and feelings about ageing, dealing with expectations around birthdays, loneliness, the pressure to have fun and a much needed mindset shift towards growing older. I also discuss my GO TO birthday routine that brings me peace, growth and clarity every year! Listen now and thank you for another wonderful year with the podcast :)  PREORDER MY BOOK: https:...

What makes someone an introvert vs. an extrovert and why is it different to what you may have been told? In today's episode, we break down the psychology between these two personality types that seem to categorise and divide society by looking back at when the theory was first created, till now. We also discuss:  The myth of ambiverts What dopamine has to do with it  How much is it genet...

When we first meet someone, the thing we instantly look for is a 'spark' - do a connect, are we attracted to each other, do we feel passion and fire and connection. What we often forget to look for is compatibility - does this person see me? Compatibility is the long term make or break of a relationship, regardless of how much intensity is there in the beginning. In today's episode, we break down...

Youngest children have a reputation for being rebellious, rule breakers, sociable, charming, a bit spoiled and maybe even attention seekers. Is all of that true? And why is that the case? In today's episode, let's tackle the last sibling in our birth order series by deep diving in the psychology of birth order theory, alongside:  The biggest stereotypes about youngest children Why youngest ch...

Morning, weekly, day-time and night routines are something that successful people swear by. Whether it's a 5am wakeup followed by 45 minutes of meditating, or a structured skincare and journal routine, exercise and eating blocks, routines seem to provide what the modern world can't: certainty within the chaos.  In today's episode, we break down the exact psychology behind why routine is so po...

Today's episode is a rather personal, less psychological one. I want to talk about my fear of flying but also how I have managed to bring that fear back into my control and the huge list of tips I've put together along the way. In this episode we discuss: Where the fear of flying emerges from How a fear of the unknown or a lack of control contributes  The psychology of claustraphobia  Ho...

In this episode I had the rare and wonderful opportunity to interview a personal hero of mine, the author of Big Magic and Eat Pray Love, writer, true creative and teacher, Elizabeth Gilbert. We discuss why the idea of 'purpose' is incorrect and making us confused and anxious, how to identify your calling, the difference between a career, hobby, job and calling, and how she managed setbacks and fa...

It's an age old question - can men and women ever actually be friends? In today's episode we explore the social psychology and studies that help us understand why the genders sometimes have so much difficulty being close friends, as well as how to assert boundaries and keep friendships platonic, including:  The differences in male vs. female friendship style Why we prefer friends of the same...

Everyone has an opinion, but are they all worth listening to? When we're not careful we can get carried away by imagining what people may or may not think about everything from our outfits, to our life choices, to our social media presence, to our relationship decisions. When we do, we become less in touch with our authentic, true self. It makes it harder for us to take action on what we want, and...

Cortisol is the 'it' hormone of the moment. So many people are talking about cortisol face, cortisol weight gain, cortisol anxiety, but what is cortisols actual function and role and why are many of the myths that surround it, simply not true? In today's episode, we talk cortisol and our stress response, including:  Why cortisol isn't all bad The evolutionary function of cortisol  ...

Sometimes our 20s feels more like a checklist than a decade: graduate, find dream job, meet life partner, secure friends, buy house. What happens when your perfect life plan suddenly crumbles underneath you and you are forced to start over? Today we discuss this common 20-something experience, including:  The 5 biggest ways we find ourselves starting over Why our fear of failure keeps us stuc...

Alcohol is one of societies most highly accepted and used drugs. But what is it's actual impact on our brains and our bodies, and what is the psychology behind why we use alcohol and why it makes us feel so good? In today's episode, let's break down the true psychology of alcohol, including:  Why we feel drunk and how alcohol is processed How alcohol influences our neurotransmitters and brain...

MY NEW PODCAST IS HERE! Ready to take a fresh path to self-discovery? Every Monday, Jemma brings you a new mantra, breaking it down to show you how you can apply it to your own life. Whether you’re facing a major transition or looking to evolve your everyday routine, Mantra is the podcast for you.  Join Jemma every week for reflections, practical tips, and personal insights that’l...

We are often torn between passion versus practicality when it comes to our dreams and our careers. Do I take the steady job, or do I take a risk and pursue writing, music, art? In today's episode we discuss how to prioritise your creative passion no matter your circumstances and what barriers we tend to encounter, from money to time, nay-sayers and perfectionism. We discuss:  The four hurdles...

We are writing and thinking about your goals all wrong and in today's episode I want to discuss how we can think about our goals in a manner that will make us more successful! Whether it's a fitness goal, financial, personal, career or relationship goal, this formula works for all of them. We discuss:  The 4 biggest psychological barriers to achieving our goals  How to articulate GOOD go...

Manifestation far more mystical than scientific, but there is some important psychology behind how it works and why. In today's episode we break down the exact science and research behind the power of manifestation and 5 important exercises that can help you create powerful, positive shifts in your love. This includes:  The roots of manifestation The science of the law of attraction and detac...

This year is your year for complete self trust, in all forms! The opposite of anxiety and doubt is self trust. This means we have confidence and clarity in our choices. we believe in our ability to overcome failure, we have a deep sense of self and we trust in our belief for our future. Each year I like to set a theme for the 12 months to come. In today's episode I explain why a theme is essential...

This week we bring back an episode from 2022 on the psychology of New Years resolutions, the significance of the new year for making goals and promises to ourselves, why we set New Years resolutions, the typical reasons we tend to fail and how to be successful. We explore self efficacy, personal development theory and the psychology behind failure to understand how we can achieve our 2025 goals. H...

When it comes to dating in our 20s, the entire experience seems like a bit of a maze and often leaves us questioning, is there a RIGHT way to be dating in our 20s? Should I be playing it casual, and just having fun, prioritise being single and getting to know myself, only dating people we want to marry, be looking for long term compatability? And what if you know exactly what you want, but are uns...

Childhood is a funny thing. You can only really understand it in hindsight and as we become adults we begin to reconsider the ways in which our families have shaped us, for better or for worse. In today's episode, we break down the complicated ways we rethink our family dynamics in adulthood, including:  What happens when our family lets us down Our adult reaction to childhood trauma  Do...

In today's we tackle a topic many of us face but rarely discuss openly: sexual shame and sexual confidence. What holds us back from having amazing sex? What emotional wounds stop us from asking for what we want? Why do we zone out when we're with someone we love? Why do we feel shame about having too much, or not enough sex? These are the questions we are going to ask today.  We are joun...

Today we have on the most special guest of all: the listeners! I asked you all to send in your biggest 20-something dilemmas, the things that are leaving your confused, keeping you up and night, have you overthinking everything, and you delivered. Today we hear from seven of our listeners, and answer questions like:  Should I travel or save for a house? How do I know what to do with my life w...

We have been hearing a lot about the use of psychedelics to treat mental health in recent years, but what does that actually entail? What do psychedelics actually do to our brain? What would it feel like? What would it look like if psychedelics were as easily prescribed as antidepressants? What are we currently getting wrong about mental health?  In this episode, we bring on an expert. Paul A...

What does it mean to experience misogyny these days? Is it the typical locker room talk and exclusion, or does it go deeper than that? In today's episode, my guest and I discuss the many dimensions of misogyny, including:  Internalised misogyny and sexism from other women The psychology of the 'pick me' girl  Dating as a feminist  The ethics of cosmetic surgery  How to handle misogyny in the workp...