The Psychology of your 20s

Moving to a new city is one of the most exciting (and emotionally challenging) things you can do in your twenties. Whether it’s for work, study, love, or a fresh start, leaving behind what’s familiar often brings a mix of freedom, fear, loneliness, and growth all at once. It’s a rite of passage, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.
In this episode, I’m sharing my personal experience of moving cities multiple times in my 20s, including moving internationally for the first time, alongside the psychology that explains why this transition feels so destabilising—and what actually helps.
We explore:
• Why moving increases stress, emotional exhaustion, and homesickness
• Why it takes around 6 months to truly adjust to a new city
• The role of routine, repetition, and place attachment in feeling settled
• Why “going home too often” can slow down adjustment
• How novelty, social effort, and structure protect mental health during transitions
If you’ve just moved, or are thinking about it, this episode will help you feel less alone, more grounded, and more confident that what you’re feeling is normal, temporary, and part of the process.
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Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast
For business: [email protected]

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.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Navigating friendship in your 20s is already complicated – so what happens when we add a third person into the mix? The group chat might be buzzing, there’s always someone to talk to, and belonging to a group of three can feel like a safe space. But what happens when two start getting closer, plans are made without you, or you’re constantly wondering if you’re the extra one?
In today’s episode, we unpack the psychology of friendship trios - why they feel so special, when they can hurt, and how to tell the difference between a rough patch and a dynamic that’s genuinely not good for you.
We explore:
• The beauty of a friendship trio
• Friendship dyads vs triads
• The role of Simmelian ties
• When imbalances start to show (alliances, jealousy and feeling like the ‘third wheel’)
• What healthy trio dynamics actually look like (and how to achieve it)
• Hot to know when it’s time to step back
If you’re navigating this nuanced aspect of friendship, this episode is for you.

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Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast
For business: [email protected]
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.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our 20s especially, the fear of regret can seem like every choice has the potential to ‘ruin’ our future - the degree we picked (or didn’t), the person we stayed with, the move we were too scared to make. And then there are the things we didn’t do at all, the opportunities we let pass, the words we never said, that still weigh on us years later.
In this episode, we’re unpacking the psychology of regret – what it actually is, why it’s so tied to self-blame, and how it can either keep us frozen or push us forward.
We explore:
• The role of upward and downward counterfactual thinking
• How regret can both motivate and stagnate us
• The four BIGGEST regrets people have
• The paradox of the ‘perfect’ decision
• Why we fear regret more than we feel it
• How to grow through regret with acceptance and compassion
If you want to quieten the ‘what if’ thoughts, this episode is for you.
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Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast
For business: [email protected]
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.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Modern life has a way of making rest feel suspicious. You can be exhausted, finally take a break, and still hear that nagging voice that you should be doing something more. Somewhere along the line, downtime stopped being a basic need and started feeling like something you have to justify, like a sign you’re falling behind, letting people down, or not trying hard enough.
In this episode, we’re getting into the psychology behind rest guilt - why busyness has become a kind of social currency, how work and visibility have blurred the line between ‘off’ and ‘on’, and why so many of us struggle to switch off even when we desperately need to.
We explore:
• How busyness became social currency
• Historical and social origins of why rest feels so hard
• How LinkedIn and social media impact comparison and urgency
• The beliefs that keep us from resting
• Why ‘time off’ isn’t always restorative
• How rest can be the most productive thing you do
• Practical ways to reframe rest guilt
If resting makes you feel edgy, unproductive, or guilty, this episode is for you.

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Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast
For business: [email protected]

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.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So many of us are coming to the realisation that we don't really know who we are anymore. We spend more time consuming other people's lives and personalities through a screen, than actually living out the person, values and passions that we have. On top of that, long hours, loneliness and the growing pains of our 20s mean many of us have no clear view of who we are. In this episode, we break down 7 tips to get your personality back, including:
Why your personality is probably frozen, not lost
The value of unproductive goals
The need for geographical novelty
The 5 soul needs you need to fulfil weekly
The journalling exercise we all need to try, today
Listen now if you're also feeling lost and disconnected from your true self.
ORDER MY BOOK
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast
For business: [email protected]

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.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.