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 passion & when should you pursue financial stability? Why money doesn’t always make us happier The nece...
Dec 26, 2025•43 min
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 deeply linked Spender vs. saver dynamics and why opposites so often attract Why we emotionally spend? What...
Dec 23, 2025•35 min
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 personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist. See omnystudio.com/listener for priv...
Dec 21, 2025•30 min
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 what ADHD really looks like in your twenties, including: The three ADHD subtypes and why women are so often missed How ...
Dec 19, 2025•59 min
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 a good thing) Why does every couple need to have that one “big” fight? Why do so many couples break up at the 2...
Dec 15, 2025•1 hr 3 min
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 like: Why is it so difficult to let people misunderstand you? How our core wounds effect how we hand...
Dec 12, 2025•48 min
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 to business owner Why it took her 4 years to start paying herself The most costly mistake when starting a busin...
Dec 08, 2025•49 min
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 seeing more and more extreme surgeries? The role of social media, filters and AI When is plastic surgery no...
Dec 04, 2025•1 hr 2 min
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 more successful How a scarcity mindset can ruin your 20s How to find your ‘zone of genius’ When to say ‘no’ to ...
Dec 01, 2025•47 min
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: • Why we become attached to certain people or outcomes • The impact of becoming overly attached on our behaviours, thoughts and emotions • ...
Nov 29, 2025•28 min
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 differently. We explore: • The social script of our 20s • The role of milestone anxiety and FOMO • How this can lead t...
Nov 28, 2025•36 min
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, and the cultural forces behind it. From dopamine and control to social media, fatalism, and escapism, we’ll explore how uncertainty reshapes ou...
Nov 25, 2025•35 min
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 that help you heal, find clarity, and eventually believe in love again. We explore: The story of my TWO...
Nov 21, 2025•46 min
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 distant, and how to make sense of the emotional and physical shifts that come with it. We explore: • How it feels w...
Nov 18, 2025•34 min
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 reward • Why some people are more vulnerable to toxic habit loops • The role of emotional regulation and self-soothing • The four key mistakes that k...
Nov 16, 2025•35 min
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: • The three types of perfectionism - self-oriented, other-oriented, and socially prescribed • Why perfectionism often disguises itself as discipline • How it’s linked to procrastination, b...
Nov 13, 2025•27 min
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 victim mindset - why it develops, how it impacts our relationships, and what it really takes to move from ...
Nov 10, 2025•42 min
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 rewires the brain, and why it sometimes feels impossible. We explore: • What makes gratitude so powerful • The cognitive...
Nov 06, 2025•30 min
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 reveals. We explore: • The pros and cons of moving in together • Why living together can feel like forming...
Nov 04, 2025•43 min
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: • What the flow state actually is • The history and psychology behind the concept • What it feels like, and how to know you’ve reac...
Nov 02, 2025•22 min
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 • Links to orthorexia and the demonisation of food groups • What does this say about politics? • The role of weight loss drugs • Why female bodies a...
Oct 30, 2025•49 min
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: • Why revenge feels so intoxicating • The difference between impulsive and planned revenge • Who might be more prone to act ou...
Oct 28, 2025•40 min
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 What settling looks and feels like How to tell if it's just relationships anxiety 3 questions to ask yourself if yo...
Oct 24, 2025•34 min
We think of failure as a terrible thing or something to be avoided. But when you learn to fall in love with failure, a whole new level of growth occurs that will have you seeing progress faster than ever. In our 20s, the so called failure-decade, we talk about how you can learn to fail, including: The reasons we fear failure Why our definition of success is inaccurate and socially conditioned The relationship successful people have with success Why grit matters more than IQ Why your fear of fail...
Oct 21, 2025•39 min
We’ve all heard the term thrown around – in books, in TV dramas, in news articles – we’re taught to be scared of it. But rarely do we consider what it actually means. In today’s bonus episode, we take a look at sociopathy. We explore: Differentiating sociopathy and psychopathy Common misconceptions Early origins of the term The role of self-awareness and masking in sociopathy Whether all sociopaths are bad Treatments and management for sociopathy Listen now! ORDER MY BOOK: https://www.psychology...
Oct 19, 2025•31 min
Have you ever felt like everything in your late twenties is suddenly up for grabs - your relationships, your career, even who you thought you were? It might be your Saturn return - a period of upheaval, self-reflection, and big life questions that’s as much psychological as it is astrological. In this episode, we look at the psychology behind Saturn returns - why this age feels so turbulent, what’s happening in our minds and lives. We explore: • The astrological background of Saturn returns • Wh...
Oct 17, 2025•39 min
Have you ever felt like the world around you isn’t quite real, or like you’re watching your life from the outside? Have you ever driven somewhere and suddenly wondered how you got there? It might be dissociation - a surprisingly common psychological experience that can be both protective and, at times, unsettling. In this episode we look at the psychology behind dissociation – what is going on in our bodies and brains during this state, what triggers us and how it interacts with wider factors in...
Oct 14, 2025•47 min
Friendships should be a source of joy – people who just make life lighter. But not all friendships feel that way. Some leave us drained, insecure, or questioning our worth. And it can be hard to admit when a friendship has become toxic. Learning to recognise when a friendship is no longer healthy, and how to navigate that shift, is a crucial part of protecting your well-being and building a life that feels aligned. In this episode, we unpack the psychology of toxic friendships: why we hold onto ...
Oct 09, 2025•47 min
Today I'm reflecting on some of the lessons I've been taking from my early 20s. We all have regrets about things we wish we'd done differently or not done at all, and I'm hoping you can learn from mine. We talk about everything from bad financial decisions, ghosting friends, staying in relationships farrr too long, to impulse buying, ignoring gut feelings and fighting with family. Listen now to hear all ten! ORDER MY BOOK Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ ...
Oct 07, 2025•39 min
Hitting rock bottom is one of the most painful human experiences - when the future is blurry, the past feels heavy, and you barely recognize the person staring back in the mirror. Maybe it’s the end of a relationship, losing your job, battling addiction, or simply feeling like everything you built has crumbled. In this episode, we explore what those lowest points really feel like, why we sometimes end up there, and how, against all odds, they can become the very place where healing and transform...
Oct 02, 2025•40 min
