What stressed you out the most in your 20’s compared to now in your 30’s

42 comments

  1. In my 20’s University and getting a job stressed me out

    In my 30’s getting a job and getting married stresses me out

  2. Being broke stressed me out as a 20 year old. In my 30s, I’m stressed that I’m not living up to my full potential.

  4. I’m 29 so currently going through the stresses of my 20s combined with anxiety over the stresses in my 30s

  6. In my 20s, I don’t think anything really stressed me out. I was very dgaf about anything. Now, balancing finances stresses me quite a bit. Looking at the costs of babysitting is a big part of that.

  7. 20s: Nothing really

    30s: Shit. I should have stressed out on things when I was younger because now I’m too old to only just now try to get my shit together.

  8. Money then and the future now.

    I had a son early in life and we were very broke. He’s 20 now and I’m only 37 and divorced. Do I start over and do things normally from here on out or go a new route reliving the freedom I lost in my 20s?

    It’s exciting either way but slightly stressful.

  10. 20s: relationship crap. A roller coaster relationship that took up most of them, followed by a new relationship that is now stable but was very rough for the first couple years as I moved on from the previous one.

    30s: Work and finances. In my 20s I was poor and that was to be expected. Now that I’m in my 30s I should be building up a financial base so that I can comfortably have a family, and so the longer I am still barely putting anything away the more stressed I get. Plus similar feelings about how I should be advancing my career.

  11. 20s: Not having enough solitude for my hobbies.

    30s: Realizing how much solitude I had, for my hobbies, back in my 20s. Chasing around a 3.5 year old (who gets better behaved over time, thankfully!)

  12. In my 20s it was University and then that I would never realize my potential, find the right career, find the right person etc.

    In my 30s it’s my parents getting older and being the support I would have wanted in my 20s for my siblings that are now facing those same issues.

    I think all the things I worried about sorted out themselves in the end.

  13. 20s: I need to find a career path. I need a graduate degree to get to the point where I feel like I’m doing something “worthwhile” or “fulfilling”.

    30s: Did all those things I was worried about in my 20s but it isn’t what I imagined. Now what the hell do I do?

    I think I’d probably rather have the 20s stress. Back then I felt more like things were going to happen but I needed to figure it all out, but now I feel a little more pessimistic about the situation. I’m sure that’s a common issue for people in my situation.

  15. I was stressed out about my career. I had anxiety that I’d never accomplish anything. I felt like I was living in my grandfather’s and mother’s shadow, both of which had extremely successful careers.

    Then, at some point in my 30s, I found myself having a successful career. All the things that I thought I couldn’t do well, I actually could.

    But by my early 40s, I was done with it all. I’be now moved abroad and shifted gears so I can focus on other things that are more interesting and important.

  16. 20’s, stressed about always being broke as a minor league baseball player who might never make it to the Bigs. 30’s, now what do I do for a career since I never made it to the big leagues and have no money in my pocket.

  17. My 20s-I was stressed about everything. Money, friends, finding a place to live, living up to an idealistic potential.

    My 30s-while I am still stressed about money I have some safety nets in place. My friends I have are quality and I am able to afford housing.

  18. 20’s was the meaning of life, social justice, developing a career and trying to get famous from music so I wouldn’t have to work for the rest of my life. This went until early 30’s.

    Now it’s what do I do with all the free time I have and what country am I going to move to next? I didn’t get famous or rich, but I figured out how to break free from western worries by leaving it all behind.

  19. In my 20’s it was being broke all the time, not knowing what I wanted to do with my life/career even though I had a degree etc.

    I just turned 31 and the most stressful thing as of late has been this separation/divorce we’re going through. It’s as amicable as it can be but my soon to be ex wife started moving stuff out yesterday after finding a place and signing a lease all at once so I didn’t get a whole lot of heads up to prepare for my daughter not being there/getting my replacement stuff lined up.

    I’m mostly just stressed about the kiddo. I don’t want her upset or worrying where I’m at while she’s over there. She slept in the bed with us pretty much 90% of the time (3yo) and even when we started having separate rooms a month or so back, it’s still our nightly routine to get into my bed and wind down until she falls asleep. (And I usually don’t make her move to hers because I’m a big softy).

    She said she was fine last night so that’s good I guess. I just don’t know what I’m going to do to occupy my time for the half of my life that’s she’s not going to be here.

  21. When I was in my 20s I was stressed about finding a girlfriend; I thought it was difficult because we have dating apps and social media, so a “better option” is always a few clicks away.

    In my 30s I am stressed about keeping my relationship strong, healthy, and happy; I think it is difficult because we have dating apps and social media, so a “better option” is always a few clicks away.

  22. 20’s – Find a fall back and gain experience on paper if my chosen path doesn’t work out. Find a profession closely linked to my chosen path..

    –gets promoted 3 times and pay is far above average

    30’s – am I stuck in this forever now!? 🙁

    Like the dog chasing cars…I caught one.

  24. I was a broke stoner in my early 20s working all the time. Decided to go back to school and start a career in IT.

    I don’t even drink anymore. I used to be very stressed about not living up to my potential and not being able to live a live that a decent career can afford.

    Now I have a wife, mortgage, a dog, waking around money, etc. I’m less stressed about my current living situation and now somewhat stressed about my future living situation. Like saving up for retirement and ensuring I retire with no debt.

    I imagine these are totally normal concerns and a healthy level of stress. Life is good IMO. Not perfect but if it was I likely wouldn’t appreciate it.

    EDIT: I am 34.

  25. 20s: stuff that seems silly now. more or less anxiety about being self-sufficient and extending myself outside my comfort zone (more serious job, having money and doing the right thing with it)

    ​

    30s: doing a good job at work, owning a home. basically more money, more problems.

    ​

    approaching 40s: maintaining energy for the rest of my career. deciding whether to start a family. parents getting older.

  28. 20s finding my next fix and dealing with my crazy drug dealer boyfriend who beat me.

    30s Getting clean and fixing my life

    40s Killing the game having fun living my dream and being clear minded.

  29. 20’s: On social media, pretending to be religious, had to keep up appearances, holding together a failing marriage

    30’s: Free of social media, trying to make sure my health will last so I can play golf for as long as possible, taking advantage of a hot job market but balancing that against buying a house.

    I realized that life day to day is pretty much the same, in that no matter what it is, you just gotta get the little things done so you can enjoy the nice things about your life. When you stop addressing the minutia and let it pile up it leads to problems, and problems lead to bad behavior because you end up depriving yourself of that serotonin from being on top of your shit, and you turn to quick dopamine: Video games, food, smoking, drinking, etc.

    At 30 the effects of those things are amplified much more than at 25, way more than I thought would happen, and way quicker.

  31. Had first son at 25. That’s pretty stressful. Had second son on my 30th birthday, so if you count that, it was also pretty stressful. Both children are still alive and that causes stress.

  33. 20s – making as much $ as possible
    30s – kids
    40s – death – it’s coming for everyone, just a matter of time.

  36. Paying bills.

    ​

    I used to be able to barely pay the few bills I had.

    ​

    Now I can pay bills, but they never seem to stop coming.

  38. 20’s – finishing college, paying bills, getting a better job. Fixing up the house.

    30’s. – has our first kid when I was 30. Next ten years were trying to get sleep, and worrying if we were doing the right things for the kids. Raising kids is like walking a tightrope.

  39. I turned 30 a month ago. Since then, I have bought a house (waiting on completion still) and got a job paying more than I ever expected to earn. So far so good.

    Having said that, for most of my 20s I was broke or carefree with money. When I turned 29 I started to worry about money, so I started to take it seriously. So far, my 30s are way better than my 20s were.

  40. I worked 3 different zero-hour contract jobs at once for a while in my twenties.

    The stress of never being able to turn a shift down, to never be too far away in case work called and to never know where my next dollar was comming from, it was brutal.

    I’m so grateful for a fulltime job.

  41. Getting laid and getting girls to like me in my 20s. God, how stupid. Now it’s getting as far as I can in my career – hopefully going as far as I’ve always hoped I would / could !

  42. 20s – whether or not I had a job

    30s – all the repressed trauma/anger/emotional instability that I ignored and bottled up from my teens and 20s.

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