The Psychology of your 20s

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Latest Episodes:

284. Did the pandemic rewrite our 20s? Mar 19, 2025

Show notes

Today, let's talk about the pandemic skip and the lost years of our 20s that many of us are still trying to catch up on. Covid-19 was such a period of collective trauma, and a lot of us feel frozen in time, having missed out on key experiences, developmental milestones and opportunities during our 20s because of it. In today's episode, we discuss:

What is the 'pandemic pause'
The 3 ways the pandemic altered us
The consequence of missing out
How the pandemic impacted dating and friendship
Should you take a gap year?
The 4 best tips for overcoming pandemic skip

Trust me, if you're experiencing grief over your lost years, you're not alone! Listen now!

PREORDER MY BOOK: https://www.psychologyofyour20s.com/general-clean

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.

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I Trust Myself to Make the Best Decision With What I Know Now Mar 17, 2025

Show notes

I am thrilled to present one of my favorite episodes from my new podcast Mantra! Each week, we unpack an empowering mantra—a simple, powerful phrase to help navigate challenges, find clarity, and unlock potential in daily life. In this special presentation "I Trust Myself to Make the Best Decision With What I Know Now," we explore how to build self-trust, release the pressure of needing all the answers, and confidently move forward with the knowledge we have in the moment. This Mantra will help you embrace decision-making with self-compassion. Please don’t forget to follow Mantra with Jemma Sbeg wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes drop every Monday. For ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to OpenMind+ on Apple Podcasts.

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283. The psychology of 'only child' syndrome Mar 14, 2025

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We've all heard the stereotypes about only children - they're selfish, they're dominating, they're arrogant, they are spoiled. Well, it turns out that might not be accurate. In today's episode we break down the intricate psychology of the only child and do a quick review of birth order theory, including:

Where did our stereotypes about only children come from
Are only children smarter?
What makes them such perfectionist?
Who do only children date?
What should only children do for work?
The complex child-parent relationship + the struggles of being an only child

This was such a fascinating episode, I hope you enjoy and happy listening!

PREORDER MY BOOK: https://www.psychologyofyour20s.com/general-clean

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

282. Can we change our personality? Mar 11, 2025

Show notes

It feels like the personality we have is the one we're stuck with, regardless of how much we wish we were different...but is that really the case? In today's episode we are joined by writer and author Olga Khazan who ran a year long experiment to see how much she could change her personality to be more outgoing, less anxious and hopefully, happier. We discuss:

The root of all personalities
What does science say is the best kind of personality
When does personality become stable
Is it possible to change?
How could we change our personality?
The results of her experiment then & now + much more

Listen now!

Olga's book here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Me-But-Better/Olga-Khazan/9781668012543

PREORDER MY BOOK: https://www.psychologyofyour20s.com/general-clean

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

281. Reclaim your power in dating Mar 07, 2025

Show notes

Dating right now can feel like a minefield - in today's episode we break down exactly how to reclaim your power in today's dating climate, including:

The 3 reasons we lose our power
The consequences of becoming defeated with dating
My 5 tips for reclaiming your agency
Why we need to STOP playing games
What to do when you get attached too quickly + so much more

Listen now!

PREORDER MY BOOK: https://www.psychologyofyour20s.com/general-clean

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

280. Is it anxiety or intuition? Mar 03, 2025

Show notes

Intuition is this deep sense of knowing that guides and expands our lives. Anxiety on the other hand restricts us by keeping us beholden to fear. Despite their differences, they can feel remarkably the same, especially if you are someone who has an anxious, overthinking disposition. In today’s episode, we break down how to tell them apart, including:

Where anxiety sits in the body
How to spot an anxious thought
The origin and science of intuition
How intuition should feel
Why they feel similar
My 6 question checklist for telling them apart
How to strengthen your connection with your intuition

Plus personal stories of being saved by a gut instinct and our listener questions! Listen now!

PREORDER MY BOOK: https://www.psychologyofyour20s.com/general-clean

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

279. The psychology of career jealousy Feb 27, 2025

Show notes

When you're struggling with your sense of purpose, job hunting or feelings of success, it can be very hard to see someone else who has everything you want, and not feel jealous. In today's episode, we break down the very important psychology of career jealousy in our 20s, including:

The 3 types of career jealousy
Why it's most common in our 20s
Career jealousy between friends and siblings
The unspoken consequences
How to turn envy into inspiration and admiration
4 tips to not let envy control you + questions from the listeners

Listen now!

PREORDER MY BOOK: https://www.psychologyofyour20s.com/general-clean

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

278. The psychology of tattoos Feb 25, 2025

Show notes

It's said that around 1/3 of society has tattoos - that increases to nearly half for people in their 20s. What is it about this permanent form of art that so many of us feel called to get? And what are the psychological underpinnings behind our design choices, why we may find ourselves wanting more and more tattoos, the relationship to childhood experiences and which tattoos we may come to regret... in today's episode, we break it all down including:

The 3 main psychological reasons people get tattoos
Tattoos as a form of permanence and belonging
Why we see similar designs or 'trending' tattoos
Tattoos and why we love the pain
Which tattoos we regret
How to make smart tattoo decisions + so much more

Listen now and drop your tattoo regrets below!

PREORDER MY BOOK: https://www.psychologyofyour20s.com/general-clean

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

277. Let's talk about birthday anxiety Feb 21, 2025

Show notes

I'm turning 25! Here are all my thoughts and feelings about ageing, dealing with expectations around birthdays, loneliness, the pressure to have fun and a much needed mindset shift towards growing older. I also discuss my GO TO birthday routine that brings me peace, growth and clarity every year! Listen now and thank you for another wonderful year with the podcast :)

PREORDER MY BOOK: https://www.psychologyofyour20s.com/general-clean

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

276. Introversion vs. extroversion Feb 18, 2025

Show notes

What makes someone an introvert vs. an extrovert and why is it different to what you may have been told? In today's episode, we break down the psychology between these two personality types that seem to categorise and divide society by looking back at when the theory was first created, till now. We also discuss: