The Mid-30s Crisis: Why Your Twenties Were More Spiritual Than You Thought

POV: You’re in your mid-thirties, and suddenly, you’re not having fun anymore. As your thoughts start to wander, you find yourself asking, “Am I having a mid-life crisis…in my 30’s?!”

If the above sounds all too familiar to you, you’re probably also feeling some of the following:

Your career feels like it’s stagnating
You feel anxious all the time
You can’t seem to make any friends or find love (or at least love that sticks.)

And at this point, especially if you’re still reading this article, you’re probably asking yourself “where did I go wrong?”

But I’ve got news for you. You didn’t go wrong at all!

You’ve just been unconsciously moving through the motions of life, just like everyone else.

And while taking a trip down memory lane might not be what you think you need right now, the ultimate goal of mastering your life requires reflection on where you were unconsciously creating the reality you now face.

And even more importantly, it requires learning from your mistakes so you can make better choices going forward.

There’s also a specific influence that’s well known in astrology called “Saturn’s Return” that’s responsible for pushing people through some tough lessons in their late 20’s and early 30’s.

For those of us that didn’t fully lean into this time, we often feel a bit of a collapse in our mid-30’s as a result.

We’ll go a bit deeper into Saturn’s Return a bit later in this article, but for now, let’s discuss the mid 30’s crisis in a bit more detail.

The Mid-30s Crisis is Real

a woman experiencing a crisis similar to a mid-30's crisis or depression

In 2022, it’s very rare to find someone in their thirties, or really any age for that matter, who isn’t struggling with some type of mood disorder like depression or anxiety

Yet the concept of the mid-30s crisis has never been discussed to the same degree as the well-known mid-life crisis.

Why is this? It’s not possible that this concept is new. Let alone the fact that ignoring what's happening to people who should be enjoying the prime of their lives seems unwise. And unfair.

So what’s really going on? It can't just be bad luck.

If you're currently facing a crisis, your symptoms may include:

Alcohol and bars suddenly seem boring and unfulfilling
Mistrust and disconnection happening with the people around you (family/friends/significant others)
Feeling like you're out of alignment
A longing to overcompensate with something to fill a void
Desire to harm self (over-eating, over-buying, etc…)
The need for escapism via vacations or “hibernating” from your friends
An inability to exercise
A general lack of focus, curiosity, or joy for life

If any of the above sounds like what you’re going through, you're not alone. The good news is, there's a perfectly logical explanation for all of it!

Let's explore this topic a little deeper by putting a spiritual lens on the choices you made during your twenties.

By doing so, you can also learn how to gracefully pull yourself out of your so-called mid 30’s slump by leaning into both astrology, and spiritual growth.

The Decisions You Made in Your Twenties Mattered

a woman in her 20's reflecting on her life choices

It’s widely accepted that the early twenties are THE time to have fun, to go "all in" with life, and to discover your sense of self. But towards the end of your twenties, everything changes as your brain fully develops.

This is also when you often start authentically assessing your life for the first time, and unfortunately, it’s also why this time in your life coincides with the mid-30’s crisis you’re now facing.

And if we look at our 20’s through a spiritual lens, we can easily see that there was also something else happening. Something that’s happened to every human being on this planet at around the same time in their lives.

It’s called, “Saturn’s Return.”

Introducing, Saturn’s Return

the word saturn spelled out with scrabble letters to visualize the concept of saturn's return

What many people don’t know is that at the same time you really started growing into your authentic self, the planet Saturn transited its position back to the same place it was in when you were born.

Now you may not have heard of this before, as astrology isn’t as mainstream as it ought to be! But just because you haven’t heard of it, doesn’t mean it didn’t influence who you've become.

This cosmic event is known well in astrology as the "Saturn Return", and it happens every 28-30 years. This is truly a "coming of age" moment and an opportunity for young people to take a deeper look at who they are, and what path they want to take.

For those taking this event seriously they often find tranquility and peace, rather than constant upheaval and crisis.

But how does anyone embrace something that feels like s&*$? And why does it matter when you’re now in your mid-30’s and feeling like your life is falling apart?

It matters because learning how to lean gracefully into challenges and to learn from your mistakes will also help you experience expansive growth both now, and in the future.

How to Pivot Mistakes Made During Saturn's Return Into Growth Opportunities

a woman reading a book and hoping to learn from her mistakes to avoid a mid 30's crisis or depression

Each person's Saturn Return is centered around a particular aspect of their life, depending on Saturn's position in their birth chart.

In order to gain a deeper understanding of your specific chart, I recommend consulting with a trusted astrologer (or several) who can interpret the language of the planets for you. This can truly be an eye-opening and valuable experience!

But how can you learn from the mistakes you made during Saturn’s Return? And the lessons you missed?

Take a look at people who have already gone through this period and are living the way that you wish to live. Read all the books you can, hire energy healers, find the right talk therapist, listen to spiritual podcasts, (like The Cosmic Adults!), travel, learn to think for yourself, and seek a variety of perspectives on life.

Even more importantly, be open to discovering the areas of your life that are in need of improvement. Try to integrate the astrological knowledge you missed from your Saturn Return. It’s still with you!

Here are some examples of things to consider to get you started, looking at a specific example of someone who’s feeling a lot of anxiety and doubt around their family:

Why do you feel the way you do about your family?
Why have you never had a secure sense of home?
How are your family members helping you learn about yourself right now - positively or negatively?

The more you ask yourself a deeper quality of question and thoughtfully seek out answers, the better the outcome will be.

But there’s something that’s even more important than self-exploration. And I don’t mean to sound cliche, but it truly is the journey that matters.

Your Soul Journey is What Ultimately Matters

flowers in a globe sitting on top of a stool with the universe in the back to represent a soul journey throughout your 20's to the mid-30's crisis discussed in this article

None of the hardships you face and lessons you turned into growth opportunities are going to be important to anyone else.

That may sound harsh, but let me emphasize to you that you must take on the responsibility of fully immersing yourself in the painful but expansive growth that comes during Saturn’s Return to avoid any further crisis.

Why? Because you chose to come into this world of your own accord and this is a solo mission.

It’s not required of you to do any of this now. But know that if you continue to put it off, you'll have to do it in your 60s when Saturn returns again. Or even in another lifetime!

So lean deeply into your lessons (which you already chose for yourself, by the way.) Enjoy the magical rewards given to you by the universe.

Oh, and I almost forgot the best part.

When you take the time to reflect and learn from your mistakes, you also get to become a mentor and teacher for others by doing so.

And really, you're already here reading this now, so you might as well go for it! To get you started, I’ve included some recommendations below:

Podcast Recommendations:

The Cosmic Adults: https://www.youtube.com/@thecosmicadults

The JBP Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@JordanBPeterson

The Soul Connection Duo: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-soul-connection-duo-podcast/id1605710686

Astrologer Recommendations:

Ian Altosaar: https://ianaltosaar.com/

Ola Wolny: https://selfmasteryquest.com/

Spiritual Mentor Recommendation: