The second phase, according to the developmental psychologist, is identity exploration —a time when we start asking ourselves questions like: ‘Who am I?’ ‘What’s important to me?’ And ‘Where do I fit in?’
“This is a period of great creativity, so to the extent possible, it’s helpful to try new things and explore possible interests,” Divecha explained. “Some will fit, others will not, but all will be helpful information about what matters to each individual. Learn how the world works: Get real-world work experience, learn how corporations and social media manipulate the public for profit, work on real-world problems, and find adult mentors—they offer crucial bridges to adulthood. And finally learn skills—practical skills like cooking, laundry, cleaning, and personal finance, as well as interpersonal communication and emotion-regulation skills.”
The third phase is early adulthood and it’s usually defined with first commitments to jobs/careers and relationships. “Learning from mentors and gaining emotional and interpersonal skills continue to be important. Flexibility and adaptability are key, too, as young adults frequently change jobs until they land one that feels like a good fit or they create their own independent/entrepreneurial path,” Divecha said.