406. How to romanticise your 20s (even when they suck)

Your 20s are sold to you as the “best years of your life” - which is hilarious, considering how many of us spend them underpaid, overthinking, heartbroken, living in transitional housing, and finding a new identity every 6 months. So what does it actually mean to ‘romanticise your 20s’? In this episode, we break down romanticising as a real psychological skill - how your brain constructs meaning, why attention shapes what feels like reality, and why building a coherent life story matters most when your life feels messy.

We explore:
• Why your attention changes your experience
• The neuroscience and cognition of meaning-making
• The role of emergent adulthood
• Why narrative psychology is so important
• Five grounded ways to romanticise your life

Watch on Netflix: HERE

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

Our favourite sources:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4324396/
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00224545.2025.2563539
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3045747/

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 privacy information.

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