Our developmental phases significantly affect how we approach the following years. Namely, the ability to manage each stage’s responsibilities impacts our capacity to deal with the vital turning points of adulthood. For example, adjusting to adulthood becomes exceedingly challenging if we do not establish a solid sense of identity (Corey et al., 2017). As we go through life, it is critical to grasp core psychological skills and use them as a springboard for personal growth. As I reflect upon my experience, my most significant turning point in life eventually helped me separate from parental influence, establish meaningful relationships, achieve autonomy, and mature.
I suppose the most significant turning point in my life occurred when I decided to attend college and leave my parents’ home. As for any adolescent, abruptly altering my surroundings left me puzzled and nervous. Post graduation, I had no clue about who I wanted to be in the future, what my field of interest was, or how I was going to live on my own. This incident alludes to the adolescent developmental period since I went through a severe identity crisis while pursuing higher education and leaving my hometown. According to Erikson’s psychosocial viewpoint, adolescence is a vital stage for creating a personal identity (Erikson, 1982, as cited in Corey et al., 2017). That time in my life put a lot of pressure on me to pick a major and live up to my parent’s expectations, both of which contributed to my identity issue. I felt especially pressed to succeed in college and become self-sufficient in terms of finances.
In response to these issues, I started researching several degrees in which I was interested, as well as completing professional orientation tests to better understand my capabilities. In addition, as I worked to become self-sufficient, I tried implementing time management techniques in order to balance my employment and education. A psychological moratorium is a stage in which society encourages teenagers to experiment with alternative roles and ideals in order for them to explore life prior to making big commitments (Corey et al., 2017). These phases, I feel, were my psychological moratorium since they eased the transition and let me begin the journey to autonomy. Individuation, or the act of detaching from our family structure and forming our unique identity based on our experiences, is an important aspect of the identity-formation (Corey et al., 2017). Given that I had to leave home, the psychological separation from my parents and the individuation process were challenging. Having open dialogues, on the other hand, helped me preserve trustworthy and good relationships with my family. Feeling the support of my parents provided me with the confidence to make those crucial adjustments.
My adolescent years were essential in acquiring critical thinking abilities and making decisions that would affect the rest of my life. I was confronted with a slew of complicated choices that shaped me into the person I am today. Throughout my pivotal period, I managed to clarify my consciousness, set life objectives, choose a major, and deal with the psychological burden of separation. Although I have not yet attained full autonomy, I have learned my duties, recognized the need for meaningful communication with my parents, and developed a critical attitude to decision-making. Today, as I mature into a young adult, I am able to make my own decisions and hold myself accountable for them, excluding external influence. All of these characteristics I currently possess are directly related to my adolescent struggles and growth.
References
Corey, G., Corey, M. S., & Muratori, M. (2017). I Never Knew I Had a Choice: Explorations in Personal Growth (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Erikson, E. H. (1982). The life cycle is completed. Norton.