Does anyone get anxiety about their birthdays now?
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i can relate to this. I use to get so excited for birthdays but now i dread them. When i think i about where i am in life its definently not how i planned it would be. my upbringing unfortunatly wasnt very normal so i didnt experience alot of things many others my age have. the more i think about it the more i dread getting older.
i always thought when i turned 18 it would be so great but it really just got harder and more challanges to have to face that come with this aging.
im often told theres plenty of time to get things done etc but sometimes i feel very left behind and out of place
Hey @scared01, I can understand how challenging this might be for you when you feel you're not where you hoped to be in your life, and this can come from many societal expectations that are placed on us while growing up. Everybody has their own timeline, and sometimes when you have been through challenging experiences as you mentioned, it can change your sense of direction, which is completely normal! Goal setting can be extremely helpful to keep you on track, but being mindful that short term goals are key during your early adulthood 
. Have you thought about anything you want to do for yourself coming into this year, or made any goals that could help direct yourself into where you want to be or the person you want to become?
I have begun changing my mindset towards my expectations on myself as well, and I have found trying to remain present in each day and little goal setting has really helped me to maintain my identity for this point in my life 
i know theres no real timeline but just tricky when my upbringing isnt really the average persons one i guess. i had plans to study again this year but thats looking very unlikeley with all the bills pileing up (i also have to manage the person i live with finances and bills etc as well) and the amount of medical appointments that are coming up/yet to come its just not the right time yet.
ahh I can imagine that that would be frustrating @scared01 ! What were you thinking about studying?
@scared01 That sounds super awesome in terms of branching out! I am actually in aged care too, and it is a absolutely beautiful and rewarding job, which I am sure you have full experience of too, but I can understand you wanting to expand more and that's fine too!
It sounds like you have a lot piling on your plate, do you think it could be helpful if you started helping your roommate learn to manage their own finances and bills so you can focus on your goals a little more?
Money can be a tricky situation, especially around studying! Have you spoken to career advisor at your institution? They can be really helpful in providing options which work for you! We are lucky in Australia to get the opportunity for Gov support, and great institutions, so it's always worth a try!
I hope you're doing alright! I just want to give you reassurance too on top of everyone else's great advice. There is still plenty of life to live after 24! 
(also- my birthdays in April too! 
)
Feeling anxious before birthdays is hard, but like others have said, it often may come from feeling like you aren't reaching the life milestones at the correct ages and so you think you're 'behind'. But the thing is, everyone goes through life at their own pace.
I believe in you and that you'll be okay Update us on how you're going as it gets closer to April if you feel like it and I'll be here to give you advice or comfort!
Hi @MemphisBelle !
I hope you are feeling alright, and that you start to feel more hopeful and excited for your bday, and If not, that is also okay. Not everyone needs to celebrate their bday, not everyone is into that thing and that is okay if you are more comfortable that way.
Additionally, I personally think you are also still a young adult. I'm actually also coming up on my 21st bday in April as well and I'm also feeling a bit nervous as people say 21 is when your supposed to be responsible and "all grown up". But I know that everyone has their own pace in life and that you decide what you are. Personally never going to let go of my inner kid no matter how old I get.
Nope. I don't attach labels to age and like to think of age as an arbituary number.
I'm turning 24 this year too! Although I can't say I know exactly how you are feeling some of your message really resonated with me because I too, worry about when I leave the "young adult" bracket. But I think we are definitely still young adults and still have a lot of time to explore! I'm not sure if you would find this helpful but I spoke to my mum and older cousins (26-30 age range and my 30 year old cousin says he definitely still even feels a bit like a young adult) a bit about this and that sort of helped me put into perspective how theres actually so much more time and freedom to explore interests and life than i was telling myself.
Personally, i feel the concept of "Age ranges" really has changed a lot in the last couple of decades as things that were seen as "rites of passage" of certain age groups seem to be happening a lot later than our parents generation eg people going to uni before joining the workforce/ moving out of home/having children/getting married etc like the views on these things have changed a lot and are not so strict giving us a lot more freedom to work out what works for us best (in my opinion)
I hope this helps but I know what soothes my anxiety about ageing might not be universal
All the best!!!
Hey @MemphisBelle I know we're 3 months early but still happy birthday! I think I can relate to not wanting to be older. When I turned 18 a couple of years ago I dreaded seeing my age change because to me it meant I could no longer get away with things, and had to be an "adult" and be responsible and know how to do adult stuff. But now I think 18 is very very young. My 30 year old friends think 28 is young. My parents think 35 is very young. And my grandpa once told me my grandma was young because she was 70
We still have lots of years to explore things, and no matter what there is always someone who thinks your age is young and you still have plenty of time. Everyone has issues and fault and people who click with you will like you for who you are. And by the way I love video production too! I'll just need another 50 years to really learn how to do it well though
You are still young and definitely have plenty of life and things to explore. I think that never stops no matter how old you are! There are always new things you can try or do, no matter your age. What are some things you'd like to do?
Birthday isn't quite here, it's not till early April but still on my mind.
I like video production and stuff of that nature hoping to go to Uni again, but my Uni was affected quite nasty by the Covid pandemic. So I'm just managing my free-time doing arts n crafts, all sorts of stuff. Drawing, cutting, pasting and a ton of stuff like that. That's really my main hobby
Woah video production! I seriously have so much admiration for people who are into that. Always wanted to do it... but I never really had much of a talent for it You have a lot of super cool hobbies - you have so much time to explore them and more! You have so much ahead of you
And I totally understand the birthday stress too - I have extremely high expectations of myself so I often feel embarrassed or undeserving when others want to celebrate me (but I’m working on overcoming it)
@MemphisBelle Hi, how are doing?
Happy birthday to you!
birthdays can be stressful, as some people experience comparisons on where they are at versus where others are. That I can empathize with. To you what does a good birthday mean?
Those are awesome hobbies to have! What is it about your hobbies that you enjoy when doing them?
