The Psychology of your 20s

I think we all instinctively know if we find someone interesting… or not. But how can we cultivate the skills of being interesting to others? In this episode, we break down the science behind what makes people interesting, talk about some easy things we can all do to tap into what already makes us unique, and focus on one of life’s greatest conversational hacks - learning how to be truly interested in others.
We explore:
• Why we all love interesting people
• How ‘digital saturation’ is making us more bored, and boring
• The importance of asking open-ended questions to unlock better conversations
• Why being truly unique is a status symbol
• The power of learning to talk to strangers
• Why social skills are actually just social courage
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
Our favourite sources:
https://tedbauer.medium.com/are-people-more-boring-now-98105e03e20c
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2009-12130-004
https://thevectorimpact.com/how-to-be-more-interesting/
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.

If anyone tells you that they’re not even a little bit insecure, they’re lying, in denial, or both. It’s a fact of life that we all feel insecure at times - about how we look, behave, our achievements, and whether we are liked by others. In this episode, we examine the psychology behind common insecurities, recognise how we can be our own worst enemies, and consider the ways we can come to accept that we are all flawed, and might not actually need ‘fixing’.
We unpack:
• The surprising evolutionary benefits that come with insecurity
• How our levels of insecurity change throughout our lives
• The ‘liking gap’, and why we think others like us less than they do
• How being insecure can feed insecurity, in a vicious cycle
• Why people pleasing and over confidence are often signs of insecurity
• How we can address insecurities that negatively impact our lives
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
Our favourite sources:
https://www.bps.org.uk/research-digest/insecurity-leads-us-underestimate-how-much-others-us
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228079585_Self-Esteem_Development_Across_the_Lifespan
https://www.centerforanxiety.org/what-is-hyper-independence-is-it-a-bad-thing/
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.

Uncertainty is the defining emotion of our 20s. Career paths, relationships, identity, purpose ... so much of this decade is marked by not knowing. Does that have to be as uncomfortable as we think it does? In today’s episode, we unpack the psychology of uncertainty: why our brains fear it, how it triggers anxiety and avoidance, and why trying to “figure it all out” might be doing more harm than good.
We explore:
The neuroscience behind our discomfort with the unknown
Why perfectionism is often a mask for our fear of uncertainty
The cultural myths that make us believe we need a step-by-step life plan
How to assign meaning to uncertainty and build resilience through it
Practical strategies to take action even when the future feels unclear
If you've never felt more confused than you do now, and are unsure 'what's next', this episode is for you.
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
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.

Over the past 6 months I've been asking people: what is the biggest mistake you made in your 20s? I've heard from over 5'000 people, some of them 21, some of them 80 and I have combined all their responses to make the ultimate list of the 20 biggest mistakes people make in their 20s, for the people, by the people.
From love, to career, to finances, going to college, friendship, taking risks: today we talk through the most common responses we received and what we can learn from these moments and regrets. Listen now!
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
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.

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 too personally: they actually take in so much of the world that it can be too much. They feel everything, from joy to sadness, so immediately and profoundly. They are also so in tune with the emotions of all those around them that sometimes it can be too much. Today we break down the psychology of the highly sensitive person, including:
What are the core assessment criteria for identifying if you're highly sensitive?
What causes someone to be highly sensitive?
The genetic, personality, parental and temperment contribution
The link between sensitivity, IQ, EQ and creativity + the gentle superpower of sensitive people
Do highly sensitive people have more empathy?
The link between neurodivergence and sensitivity
How to explain your sensitivity to others
How to make the world work for your gentle, feeling soul, and so much more!
This episode is FULL of tips, research and studies. Listen now!
The assessment: https://hsperson.com/test/highly-sensitive-test/
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.