Becoming a young adult in 2025 comes with an immense amount of pressure.
By society’s standards, you are expected to graduate high school, find a job or go to college, move away from your parents, and ultimately learn to support yourself by 22 years old, sometimes sooner. You are expected to “figure it all out” just like your parents might have.
But the reality is, the cards that our parents might have been dealt are not the same as the cards we are being dealt in 2025.
Our world is moving much faster than ever before which leads to more challenges than ever before.
3 reasons why being a young adult in 2025 feels impossible:
1. Career Uncertainty
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for people aged 16-24 increased by roughly 1% from July 2023 to July 2024. Uncertainty about the economy has driven businesses to put new hirings on hold, creating emotional strain and instability when young adults are planning for their future.
Additionally, the unemployment rate for recent college graduates has declined since the Covid-19 pandemic, with roughly 38% of employers reporting that they “avoid hiring recent college graduates in favor of older employees.”
Young adults are facing challenges due to the limited preparation and practical skills provided by their educational institutions, whether that be high school or college. This leaves young adults feeling stagnant, self-critical, and lost on where to go or what to do.
2. Loneliness and Isolation
As young adults start to branch out on their own, they may be disconnected from their hometown friends, creating a further sense of instability as they start to lose vital social systems. Additionally, young adults are now accustomed to making online connections versus in-person connections, making it much harder to make friends or find dating prospects “organically”.
While social media may serve as a way to stay in contact with old connections and to make new ones, studies have shown that individuals who primarily use social media to maintain relationships tend to feel lonelier than those who use it for other purposes.
3. Mental Health Problems
For U.S. adults aged 18-25, around 36% report experiencing some form of mental illness in 2022, which is the highest rate for any age group. Between 2019 and 2022, we saw a significant rise of anxiety and depression symptoms in particular in adults across the lifespan, but most especially in young adults. Although young adults seem to be more open with their mental health struggles, there is still an ongoing stigma surrounding mental health and seeking outside support.
The challenges listed above are only a snippet of what young adults are currently facing.
It’s no surprise that many young adults feel directionless, isolated, overwhelmed, or frozen in place as they try to navigate what it means to be an adult.
What to Do to Not Make It Feel So Hard
So, what actually helps?
Research-backed strategies from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) offers a clear road map forward, even when life feels messy or uncertain. Below are examples of some of the core principles in ACT that can help you get a better understanding of who you are and where you want to be.
- Acceptance encourages sitting with uncomfortable emotions instead of battling them. Rather than wasting energy battling anxiety or self-judgment, you make space for them.
- Cognitive defusion teaches us to see thoughts as passing mental events, as if they are like a storm passing over. We start to see our thoughts as moments instead of truths. By labeling the thoughts (“I’m having the thought that I’m not enough”), you create distance and regain choice.
- Present-moment awareness, through simple grounding techniques, brings attention to your senses and the here-and-now. This helps interrupt spiraling anxiety toward the unknown.
- Values clarification shifts the focus from “fixing” yourself to leading with purpose. When you tune into what matters most to you, whether it be friendship, creativity, honesty, etc., you can set clearer priorities and intentions.
- Committed action is about tiny, value-aligned steps: one email, one conversation, one small act that nudges you forward.
If this resonates with you, take a moment to reflect:
- What truly matters to you right now but keeps getting pushed aside?
- What’s one small, meaningful step you could take this week to move toward the life you want?
That step might be as simple as journaling for a few minutes, calling or meeting up with someone who feels safe, or pausing to notice and name a self‑critical thought instead of letting it run the show.
If you’re wondering what it looks and feels like to lean into these principles with others, we’re offering a space called ‘Doing What Matters: A Group for Young Adults Who Feel a Little Lost’ where young adults can explore all of this together.
Why Doing it With Others Matters
It’s easy to feel like you’re the only one struggling to figure life out, but the truth is, many young adults are quietly navigating the same uncertainties. When you have a space to connect with others who get it, something begins to shift.
Being surrounded by peers who are also exploring their values and direction brings validation. You realize you’re not broken or behind. It offers new perspectives, helping you see possibilities you might have missed. And it provides encouragement, the kind that makes it easier to take that next small, meaningful step forward.
Growth doesn’t have to happen alone. In our group, you’ll find a supportive, understanding space to share experiences, learn from others, and feel less isolated as you explore what truly matters to you.