Twenty Nothing To Twenty Something

An inspiring self-help book for twenty somethings looking for contentment, fulfilment and success.

Surrounded by possibility but unsure of your direction? You’re not alone. If you’re in your twenties, you’re likely feeling the combination of the excitement of this defining decade and the pressure to figure out your entire life. The thrill of newfound independence and opportunity can be quickly squelched by worry, disillusionment, or disappointment. Like thousands of other twenty somethings, you may have experienced what life coach and quarter-life expert Christine Hassler calls an “Expectation Hangover?.” This manifesto explores the all-important questions and life choices of these turbulent yet exciting years. Twenty somethings may commiserate about the challenges they face, but few resources offer practical lessons or suggestions. In these pages, quarter-life men and women tell their stories, sharing their successes and failures, along with their frustrations and realizations. The author’s insightful commentary and “take away” suggestions provide the tools and skills you need to create change and direction in your life. You’ll recognize and articulate your personal goals, paving the way to what you truly want.

A mother-daughter writing team reports on what's really up with kids today Science writer Robin Marantz Henig and her daughter, journalist Samantha Henig, offer a smart, comprehensive look at what it's really like to be twentysomething—and to what extent it’s different for Millennials than it was for their Baby Boomer parents. The Henigs combine the behavioral science literature for insights into how young people make choices about schooling, career, marriage, and childbearing; how they relate to parents, friends, and lovers; and how technology both speeds everything up and slows everything down. Packed with often-surprising discoveries, Twentysomething is a two-generation conversation that will become the definitive book on being young in our time. "The fullest guide through this territory . . . A densely researched report on the state of middleclass young people today, drawn from several data sources and fi­ltered through a comparative lens." —­The New Yorker

The midtwenties through the midthirties can be a time of difficult transition: the security blankets of college and parents are gone, and it’s suddenly time to make far-reaching decisions about career, investments, and adult identity. When author Christine Hassler experienced what she calls the "twenties triangle", she found that she was not alone. In fact, an entire generation of young women is questioning their choices, unsure if what they’ve been striving for is what they really want. They’re eager to set a new course for their lives, even if that means giving up what they have. Hassler herself left a fast-moving career that wasn’t right for her and instead took the risk of starting her own business. Now, based on her own experience and interviews with hundreds of women, she shares heartfelt stories on issues from career to parents to boyfriends to babies. Yet she also provides practical exercises to enable today’s woman to chart a new direction for her life.

The Defining Decade has changed the way millions of twentysomethings think about their twenties—and themselves. Revised and reissued for a new generation, let it change how you think about you and yours. Our "thirty-is-the-new-twenty" culture tells us the twentysomething years don't matter. Some say they are an extended adolescence. Others call them an emerging adulthood. In The Defining Decade, Meg Jay argues that twentysomethings have been caught in a swirl of hype and misinformation, much of which has trivialized the most transformative time of our lives. Drawing from more than two decades of work with thousands of clients and students, Jay weaves the latest science of the twentysomething years with behind-closed-doors stories from twentysomethings themselves. The result is a provocative read that provides the tools necessary to take the most of your twenties, and shows us how work, relationships, personality, identity and even the brain can change more during this decade than at any other time in adulthood—if we use the time well. Also included in this updated edition: Up-to-date research on work, love, the brain, friendship, technology, and fertility What a decade of device use has taught us about looking at friends—and looking for love—online 29 conversations to have with your partner—or to keep in mind as you search for one A social experiment in which "digital natives" go without their phones A Reader's Guide for book clubs, classrooms, or further self-reflection

Alida Nugent graduated college with a degree in one hand and a drink in the other, eager to trade in parties and all-nighters for “the real world.” But post-grad wasn’t the glam life she imagined. Soon buried under a pile of bills, laundry, and three-dollar bottles of wine, it quickly became clear that she had no idea what she was doing. But hey, what twentysomething does? In Don’t Worry, It Gets Worse, Nugent shares what it takes to make the awkward leap from undergrad to “mature and responsible adult that definitely never eats peanut butter straight from the jar and considers it a meal.” From trying to find an apartment on the black hole otherwise known as Craigslist to the creative maneuvering needed to pay off student loans and still enjoy happy hour, Nugent documents the formative moments of being a twentysomething with a little bit of snark and a lot of heart. Perfect for fans of HBO's Girls and Allie Brosh's Hyperbole and a Half, and based on her popular Tumblr blog The Frenemy, Don’t Worry, It Gets Worse is a love note to boozin’, bitchin’ ladies everywhere.

Everyone has that moment-the realization that adulthood has arrived, like a runaway train, and there's no getting out of its way. From the hit Tumblr blog of the same name, F*ck! I'm in My Twenties perfectly captures the new generation currently testing the waters of post-college reality. Quick-witted and self-deprecating, the author pens irreverent missives, DIY diagrams, illustrations, and tongue-in-cheek checklists that chronicle her experience as a twenty-something living in the big city. Including the best of her beloved blog, plus over 50% new material, this is a perfect humor impulse buy for anyone who has a love-hate relationship with their twenties.

Forget the 10,000 hour rule— what if it’s possible to learn the basics of any new skill in 20 hours or less? Take a moment to consider how many things you want to learn to do. What’s on your list? What’s holding you back from getting started? Are you worried about the time and effort it takes to acquire new skills—time you don’t have and effort you can’t spare? Research suggests it takes 10,000 hours to develop a new skill. In this nonstop world when will you ever find that much time and energy? To make matters worse, the early hours of prac­ticing something new are always the most frustrating. That’s why it’s difficult to learn how to speak a new language, play an instrument, hit a golf ball, or shoot great photos. It’s so much easier to watch TV or surf the web . . . In The First 20 Hours, Josh Kaufman offers a systematic approach to rapid skill acquisition— how to learn any new skill as quickly as possible. His method shows you how to deconstruct com­plex skills, maximize productive practice, and remove common learning barriers. By complet­ing just 20 hours of focused, deliberate practice you’ll go from knowing absolutely nothing to performing noticeably well. Kaufman personally field-tested the meth­ods in this book. You’ll have a front row seat as he develops a personal yoga practice, writes his own web-based computer programs, teaches himself to touch type on a nonstandard key­board, explores the oldest and most complex board game in history, picks up the ukulele, and learns how to windsurf. Here are a few of the sim­ple techniques he teaches: Define your target performance level: Fig­ure out what your desired level of skill looks like, what you’re trying to achieve, and what you’ll be able to do when you’re done. The more specific, the better. Deconstruct the skill: Most of the things we think of as skills are actually bundles of smaller subskills. If you break down the subcompo­nents, it’s easier to figure out which ones are most important and practice those first. Eliminate barriers to practice: Removing common distractions and unnecessary effort makes it much easier to sit down and focus on deliberate practice. Create fast feedback loops: Getting accu­rate, real-time information about how well you’re performing during practice makes it much easier to improve. Whether you want to paint a portrait, launch a start-up, fly an airplane, or juggle flaming chain­saws, The First 20 Hours will help you pick up the basics of any skill in record time . . . and have more fun along the way.

All Groan Up: Searching for Self, Faith, and A Freaking Job! is the story of the GenY/Millennial generation told through the individual story of author Paul Angone. It’s a story of struggle, hope, failure, and doubts in the twilight zone of growing up and being grown, connecting with his twentysomething post-college audience with raw honesty, humor, and hope.

Foster good habits. Press into pain. Never, ever get another perm. Despite what many think, our twenties aren’t that dead space between youth and real life. Done right, they can be among our most important years. In 20 Things We’d Tell Our 20-Something Selves, college professors Peter and Kelli Worrall look back on it all—the good, the bad, and the miserable—to give you the best of what they’ve learned. With humility, warmth, and brilliant storytelling, they invite you not only into their wisdom but into their lives, sharing about faith, marriage, drawn-out adoptions, dark nights of the soul, and the God who’s in it all. 20 Things is more than a list of advice; it’s a book that can change your life. Let the trend of your twenties be sowing wisdom, and who knows what the rest of life will bring? Includes action steps, discussion questions, and ideas for further reading at the end of each chapter.