How to survive a quarter life crisis without losing it

We all face adversity over the course of our personal journey and many events in our lives are beyond our control. The only thing you are in control of is your perspective when faced with these challenges. You have the power to choose whether you'll live on your knees or stand up and face your reality with courage and resilience. Every challenge serves to strengthen your confidence and will, and facing adversity heads on is what builds character.

If you find yourself in the center of the unique chaos that is being in your 20s—on the cusp on being an adult but not quite feeling ready for all that entails—here are a few things to keep in mind as your soldier on toward—gasp!—30.

Everything you encounter is meant for you. Adversity is a part of life and so is acceptance. Accept that life may throw what it wants at you but believe that as long as you throw it all back with the strength of your own convictions, you can never be defeated. Cultivating emotional and spiritual strength and willing to have the right intentions to transcend whatever it is you are facing in the moment is so essential. Putting your trust into the universe to provide you with understanding as to why you've been faced with those challenges will bring a true sense of comfort within you. Life is a beautiful journey with a few pit stops that are magnified the moment you start to see things for what they truly are. Going through life and really feeling and experiencing these things makes your journey worthwhile. Inspire yourself to be a vessel of light and peace. A shining example of one who's not defined by their errors, but one who learns from them.

Your relationship with yourself is the most important thing in life If you are not in alignment with yourself, everything outside of you becomes this whirlwind of chaos. Encourage yourself to have faith and resilience. If you continue to stay true to your deepest self, you will ultimately achieve a breakthrough. Vulnerability and discipline is the bridge to full blown bliss. Learning to accept and trust yourself is a humbling experience. If you continue to hold yourself back, your new growth and deepened learning can not emerge when it is meant to. Don't become the negative obstacle that hinders your ability to learn and progress. Your goal in life should be to discover infinite worth in yourself and to believe that you can overcome anything. Having a positive mindset and attitude only amplifies your potential. So start trusting yourself to always know what works for you, what lights you, what comforts you, and what guides you.

Sometimes removing yourself from the equation is the only way to gain clarity and perspective. Life takes on a whole new reality the second you shift away from all the things that once narrowed your perception of yourself and the world. Sure, it's challenging to stay focused on the big picture when you're dealing with complication and it's even harder to not harbor negative energy. But when you take a few steps back, quiet your mind, and compose yourself in times of distress, you will find that it is exactly what you needed to do. Teach yourself to not be blindsided and distracted by your problems because that will only cause you to lose focus on the things that really matter. You have to truly believe that a very real and conscious part of you exists beyond your problems. Work towards a realistic goal as a helpful way to eradicate those feelings of anxiety and desolation, then go back into your situation and be ten times more effective.

Physical activity should always be apart of your daily life. Many studies associate feeling good and happy with exercise, starting from simple things like taking a walk or doing cardio for 30 minutes. When you're unhappy and feeling unmotivated to do anything, your energy levels have the tendency to drop drastically. It can feel a little tedious encouraging yourself to get up and be productive, especially when all you want is to curl into a ball and hide from the world. But resist the urge to hide or ignore your problems—instead, you can own it. Life is all about pushing yourself to break through mental, physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual barriers and exceeding your current limitations and restrictions. Exercising is always a great option to take your mind off things. It is also a physiological fact that it releases chemical endorphins into your brain, which elevate your mood and act as a natural pain reliever. Teach yourself how to live in the moment without anticipation, anxiety and control. Only when you begin to engage your mind, spirit, emotions, and physical abilities, do you reach beyond what you think you are.

As humans, sometimes we fail to realize that no matter what we are going through, there’s always someone that can relate to your situation. It's always easier to shut down and completely isolate yourself than to talk about your problems or even seek help, but doing so will only makes you feel even more alone and detached from the world. Your unwillingness to do the necessary will only create self-doubt that will only intensify your negative emotions. There's absolutely no point in dwelling on what could have been if your circumstances were different. Getting caught in self-pity only guarantees your own defeat. Open up to your family or closest friends and give them the permission to stand right beside you. Communicate with those who can help you navigate through these difficult times. Talk about your problems, write it down, confide in somebody who will listen and make you realize that it is okay to ask for help.

Take all the time you need to retreat and heal. There is no time stamp on the process of getting your mind and yourself right. You have to be sure that you go through this at your own time and pace. Do not let others pressure you through it, either. This experience shouldn't be tainted by outside energy. Working on getting better can be difficult at times, but the rewards of those challenges always outweighs the momentary discomfort. Rekindle something positive in yourself and start looking forward to the future.