The Psychology of your 20s
Episodes
The psychology of self doubt (rerun)
15 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Our self doubts are what is keeping us in our own way. It is the foundation for our inner critic to tell us: you're not good enough, you're not talent...
How to get your spark back (rerun)
11 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We lose our spark and love for life for many reasons: burnout, mental ill health, people pleasing, a breakup. When we do it can feel like life gets ve...
290. The complicated psychology of PMS
08 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
PMS can be a bit of a black box - we know we don't feel right, we know the days and weeks before our period can be sluggish, but we don't really know ...
289. The psychology of high functioning depression
04 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We are used to seeing depression one way: tears, extreme sadness, never leaving the house, pure misery. But for many of us, we experience depression d...
288. "Your calling, won't stop calling" ft. Victoria Hutchins
01 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
So many of us worry about finding a purpose and progressing in our career from an early age, but sometimes our path through life looks different to ho...
287. Being a late bloomer in your 20s
27 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Some of us take our time when it comes to finding love and dating. For some, that feels like an asset, for others it feels like a burden that they are...
286. How to actually FEEL your feelings
25 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In a day and age when 7/10 of us are chronically stressed, living in survival mode, too busy intellectualising our feelings to actually feel them, uns...
285. Overcoming relationship OCD & anxiety
21 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Even in the most perfect of relationships we can have doubts; even when everything is happy and wonderful, questions can still linger in the back of o...
284. Did the pandemic rewrite our 20s?
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
I Trust Myself to Make the Best Decision With What I Know Now
17 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I am thrilled to present one of my favorite episodes from my new podcast Mantra! Each week, we unpack an empowering mantra—a simple, p...
283. The psychology of 'only child' syndrome
14 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
282. Can we change our personality?
11 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
281. Reclaim your power in dating
07 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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:&...
280. Is it anxiety or intuition?
03 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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....
279. The psychology of career jealousy
27 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
278. The psychology of tattoos
25 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
277. Let's talk about birthday anxiety
21 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I'm turning 25! Here are all my thoughts and feelings about ageing, dealing with expectations around birthdays, loneliness, the pressure to have fun a...
276. Introversion vs. extroversion
18 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 psychol...
275. 5 signs of deep emotional compatibility
14 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When we first meet someone, the thing we instantly look for is a 'spark' - do a connect, are we attracted to each other, do we feel passion and fire a...
274. The psychology of the youngest child
11 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Youngest children have a reputation for being rebellious, rule breakers, sociable, charming, a bit spoiled and maybe even attention seekers. Is all of...
273. The psychology of routines
07 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Morning, weekly, day-time and night routines are something that successful people swear by. Whether it's a 5am wakeup followed by 45 minutes of medita...
272. How I overcame my fear of flying
04 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode is a rather personal, less psychological one. I want to talk about my fear of flying but also how I have managed to bring that fear ba...
271. Overcoming our purpose anxiety ft. Elizabeth Gilbert
31 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode I had the rare and wonderful opportunity to interview a personal hero of mine, the author of Big Magic and Eat Pray Love, writer, true...
270. The psychology of male-female friendships
28 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's an age old question - can men and women ever actually be friends? In today's episode we explore the social psychology and studies that help us un...
269. How to care less about others opinions
24 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone has an opinion, but are they all worth listening to? When we're not careful we can get carried away by imagining what people may or may not t...
268. The hidden impact of cortisol
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cortisol is the 'it' hormone of the moment. So many people are talking about cortisol face, cortisol weight gain, cortisol anxiety, but what is cortis...
267. Starting over in your 20s
16 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes our 20s feels more like a checklist than a decade: graduate, find dream job, meet life partner, secure friends, buy house. What happens when...
266. The psychology of alcohol
13 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Alcohol is one of societies most highly accepted and used drugs. But what is it's actual impact on our brains and our bodies, and what is the psycholo...
Introducing: MANTRA with Jemma Sbeg
13 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
MY NEW PODCAST IS HERE! Ready to take a fresh path to self-discovery? Every Monday, Jemma brings you a new mantra, breaking it down to show you how yo...
265. 5 tips for pursuing your creative passion
09 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We are often torn between passion versus practicality when it comes to our dreams and our careers. Do I take the steady job, or do I take a risk and p...
264. How to set goals you'll actually achieve
07 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We are writing and thinking about your goals all wrong and in today's episode I want to discuss how we can think about our goals in a manner that will...
263. The psychology of manifestation
03 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Manifestation far more mystical than scientific, but there is some important psychology behind how it works and why. In today's episode we break down ...
262. Your year for trusting yourself
30 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This year is your year for complete self trust, in all forms! The opposite of anxiety and doubt is self trust. This means we have confidence and clari...
261. The psychology of new years resolutions (BONUS)
29 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week we bring back an episode from 2022 on the psychology of New Years resolutions, the significance of the new year for making goals and promise...
260. The BEST dating advice for your 20s ft. Dateable podcast
26 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to dating in our 20s, the entire experience seems like a bit of a maze and often leaves us questioning, is there a RIGHT way to be datin...
259. Confronting our family dynamics in adulthood ft. Gwendolyn Watson
23 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Childhood is a funny thing. You can only really understand it in hindsight and as we become adults we begin to reconsider the ways in which our famili...
258. Healing our sexual shame ft. Dr Emily Jamea
20 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In today's we tackle a topic many of us face but rarely discuss openly: sexual shame and sexual confidence. What holds us back from having amazin...
257. The biggest dilemmas of our 20s ft. The listeners
17 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today we have on the most special guest of all: the listeners! I asked you all to send in your biggest 20-something dilemmas, the things that are leav...
256. The psychology of psychedelics ft. Paul Austin
13 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We have been hearing a lot about the use of psychedelics to treat mental health in recent years, but what does that actually entail? What do psychedel...
255. The psychology of misogyny ft. Hannah Ferguson
09 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean to experience misogyny these days? Is it the typical locker room talk and exclusion, or does it go deeper than that? In today's epis...
254. Cultivating a hot, smart, rich mindset ft. Maggie Sellers
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On today's episode we welcome on entrepreneur, founder and Hot, Smart, Rich icon, Maggie Sellers to discuss her formula and mindset for having it all,...
253. Why spirituality is essential for our mental health ft. Dr Lisa Miller
03 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For our very first guest of the holiday season, I invited on Dr Lisa Miller - a professor at Columbia University, author, clinical psychologist and re...
252. The psychology of doomscrolling
29 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There is a lot of terrible news out there, so much so that we could spend every hour of every day reading it and still not be done. What's worse is th...
251. How to train your brain to do hard things
25 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The best things in life aren't always the easiest and it's often this exertion and extra effort that holds us back from diving in or fully committing....
250. Maintaining long distance friendships in our 20s
22 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Friendships are hard. Add in distance and they can get even harder at times. But long distance friendships seem like a fact of life in our 20s as peop...
249. 5 tips to master public speaking
19 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Public speaking is one of our biggest fears as a species - some 75% of us list public speaking as our biggest and greatest fear. In today's episode, I...
248. The psychology of solo travelling
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Solo travelling is something that we romanticise a lot in our 20s and is a big thing on many of our bucket lists. It can be such a transformative expe...
247. Can we be friends with our ex?
12 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A lot of us try to convince ourselves we can be friends with our ex in the immediate aftermath of a breakup, but is that necesserily the best idea? In...
246. How to cope with political anxiety
08 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us have been facing increasing levels of political anxiety in the past days and weeks. It seems that the world has never been more divisive an...
245. The psychology of the middle child
04 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We all know the stereotypes about the eldest child, the youngest and the only child, but the middle child often seems to be left out, and not just fro...
244. 5 steps for creating a 'soft life'
01 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The idea of a 'soft life' originated from a group of Nigerian influencers who chose the term to describe a way of living that was comfortable, joyful,...
243. Why having hobbies is so important
29 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Your hobbies may be just as important as your friendships in your 20s. But whilst you may dedicate 10-15 hours a week to your friends, most of us can ...
242. The psychology of maladaptive daydreaming
25 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Daydreaming can be a perfectly normal part of life - zoning out in the shower, before we fall asleep, on the train to work. But some of us cross over ...
241. Are we our own worst critic?
22 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes the loudest critic, our biggest hater is not someone we know, it is ourselves. We are the ones who are the first to judge ourselves, to shut...
240. Overcoming dating burnout
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In our 20s it can feel like a mad rush to find the one. If you are single and dating, you know the experience of going on what seems like dozens of da...
239. What is the 'loneliest' chapter of our 20s?
14 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
At some stage in our 20s, all of us will experience what I call 'The Loneliest Chapter' - a period where we feel detached, disconnected and isolated. ...
238. High functioning codependency and caring too much ft. Terri Cole
11 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What is the cost of caring too much for others? Always being the person to fix everyone's problems? Never needing anyone, but secretly loving that eve...
237. The psychology of shame
08 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Shame follows us everywhere. So many of us are bound by shame about our past, our mistakes, our identity, our looks, our decisions and choices. This c...
236. How to make hard decisions
04 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
At some stage in our 20s we'll have to make a life changing decision where the right choice is not at all clear: stay or leave my job, the country, my...
235. The psychology of 'right person, wrong time'
30 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The right person at the wrong time might be one of the saddest kinds of love stories we come across. This person may be perfect for us, our dream part...
234. I had a mental breakdown
27 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Let's talk about what's been going on with my mental health recently and what's changed. This is a rather vulnerable episode so please check in with y...
233. Surviving a toxic workplace
24 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Work makes up a large component of our lives. It's estimated that 1/3 of our waking lives will be spent working, so when that environment is toxic or ...
232. Why do we hate criticism?
20 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When someone criticises us we naturally feel on edge and defensive. This is because criticism threatens our ego and our sense of self and so we have a...
231. 5 ways to reinvent yourself in your 20s
17 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If nothing else, our 20s are a time for reinvention and transformation. We become clearer and clearer about the version of us we want to be, and hopef...
230. The psychology of flirting
12 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Flirting! Usually thought of as something used to express romantic or physical interest may actually be the secret to unlocking more connections than ...
229. 4 ways to make your anxiety work for you
10 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We all get anxious at times, but what we forget in those moments is that anxiety is just there to protect us, it's trying to do its job, and the more ...
228. The psychology of limerence
06 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Limerance - the state of having undeniable feelings for someone who does not feel the same way - feels so much like love but can be so confusing, beca...
227. The power of staying present
03 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our attention is constantly being pulled in every direction: we're thinking about the past, overthinking the future, getting notifications from our ph...
226. How money impacts our mental health
30 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Money is as much psychological and emotional as it is a physical resource. For that reason, sometimes money and our mental health don't always mix. Ma...
225. Overcome your fear of being perceived
26 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our fear of being perceived is more than just social anxiety, its a real phobia around being scrutinised, observed and primarily judged by others. It'...
224. 5 ways to support someone with their mental health
23 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Loving someone who struggles with their mental health can be devastating. You want to do all you can to help, but no one has ever taught you how or wh...
223. Why are female friendships so hard?
20 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode we break down the controversy but also the beauty of female friendship - why exactly are they so difficult? Or is that all a myth? ...
222. Am I too sensitive?
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The life of the highly sensitive person is often misunderstood. Highly sensitive aren't just people who cry too much or get overwhelmed, take things t...
221. How to be truly successful in your 20s
13 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode might be the wakeup call we all need that our traditional notions of success aren't working. We have been conditioned to see success as i...
220. The psychology of nostalgia and getting stuck in the past
09 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
All of us find ourselves remincising on the 'good old days' every now and then, but sometimes we can find ourselves getting trapped in the memories of...
219. The psychology of journalling
05 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Journalling is seen as one of the holy grails when it comes to trying to improve your mental health and emotional wellbeing, but what about it is so g...
218. Overcome your fear of never finding love
02 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our fear of being alone forever and never finding the right one is scary, but it's also pretty natural. Whether you have never dated before, or are wo...
217. How to find your calling
30 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One of the biggest questions we seem to encounter in our 20s and beyond is: what is my calling? What is my purpose, my mission, my passion? So many of...
216. The psychology of resentment
26 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Resentment is sometimes labelled as an ugly or bad emotion, something that is derived from a sense of entitlement. In actuality, resentment is a reall...
215. Are you living in survival mode?
23 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Survival mode is, at its core, a stress response. When our minds and our bodies are put under extreme stress or believe we are in danger, we can enter...
214. The secret to love? Go SLOW ft. Therapist Moe Ari Brown
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We all want long lasting, passionate, meaningful love and in our 20s it can hard to figure out exactly how to find that. With so many 'rules' around w...
213. The psychology of play
16 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is the secret to a happier, less stressful, more connected life actually play? A lot of the research is telling us so! As we get older sometimes we lo...
212. The psychology of self doubt
13 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our self doubts are what is keeping us in our own way. It is the foundation for our inner critic to tell us: you're not good enough, you're not talent...
211. The problem with 'toxic' positivity
09 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today on the podcast we are talking about toxic positivity and the problem with always being positive and putting a fluffy, warm, positive spin on thi...
210. The 5 BIGGEST red flags for relationships in our 20s
05 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We all know what red flags are, they tend to be universal at any age, but there are some redflags that are specific to our 20s, certain features of a ...
209. Navigating post-graduation blues ft. Therapist Liz Kelly
02 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The period after graduation can be really difficult, filled with emotions like grief, anxiety, worry about the future, loneliness and nostalgia as we ...
208. Let's talk about coping mechanisms
28 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Very few of us ever receive an education on coping. We are taught bad things happen, we are taught pointless math equations, we are taught to grin and...
207. How to have better conversations
25 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Conversations seem like they should be the easiest thing in the world, but we all know that sometimes that is not the case! Mental distractions, runni...
206. The psychology of love bombing
21 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Love bombing has been a hot topic as of recent, but what does it ACTUALLY mean or entail? In today's episode we are breaking down all of the psycholog...
205. A mental health update
18 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Since the beginning of this show I've been super open about my mental health so I thought I'd share an update (the bad, the good and the really good)....
204. Should we be thinking about kids in our 20s?
14 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The thought of having children in our 20s feels like an incredibly adult decision, and is one a lot of us probably don't consider. We want to protect ...
203. Why do we feel so unloveable?
11 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Struggling with our self worth can often impact how deserving we feel of love. This sense that we may be 'unloveable' causes us to miss out on healthy...
202. Body dysmorphia
07 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
All of us have insecurities when it comes to our appearance, but what happens when these become obsessive and a point of fixation? In today's episode ...
201. 5 scientific ways to ACTUALLY be happier
04 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We all want to be happier, but are probably sick of hearing about 'exercising more, eating better, sleeping 8 hours'. In today's episode we break down...
200. Going 'no contact' and why it works!
31 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Going 'no contact' after a breakup or relationship breakdown is promoted as one of the best ways to move on from an ex. But why is that the case, and ...
199. The struggles of job hunting in our 20s
28 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You're not imagining it! The job market is getting harder, especially for 20-somethings who are entering the job market for the first time and trying ...
198. The psychology of ‘mommy issues’ and mother wounds
24 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our mother wounds represent the unprocessed trauma and insecurities we pick up from the dynamic we each have with the women who raise us and shape us....
197. Stop being PASSIVE in your life ft. Girls with Goals
20 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We often think the secret to not being passive in our lives is to fill up our days, set countless goals, always be striving for progress and productiv...
196. My toxic relationship with productivity
17 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode we're going old school, back to a good old fashioned chatty sit down episode and life update. I have been recovering from a pretty ...
195. The psychology of codependency
14 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How can you tell if you're codependent or just really close to someone? If you are enmeshed or just reliant on their support? Feeling happy and stable...