A fantastic self-help title for those post-grad, in their early twenties, or any young person finding themselves in a life funk.

This book was everything I could want in a book and also I wish I read this book earlier. I agreed with nearly everything she said and I loved the layout of this book. It was self help, but also in a way that didn't just feel like she was lecturing you.

I am recommending/ getting this book for all my friends in their 20's.

Thank you netgalley for this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

In this book, Dr. Jay really gets to the heart of what makes life meaningful and how to use your twenties to get those things. If was tough love a lot of the time but so helpful and so necessary. I’m reviewing the updated edition and could not agree more with her advice to walk away from Instagram. Speaking anecdotally as a twentysomething myself, getting rid of Instagram has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. That being said, I do feel like I have a bias because I have clear career goals, want to get married and have children, and have never had the privilege of spending time “finding myself” and not working. If you have a different life experience or don’t want a more traditional (i.e. a long term partner, children, stable career) lifestyle in the future, you might find this book anxiety inducing or irrelevant. At the same time, it might be more helpful for you if you are dissatisfied with living that kind of life. Personally, I know so many people my age who could really use this book’s kick in the pants. I will also say that one glaring omission in the new edition was the pandemic, which had a huge impact on everyone, especially young people. To me, the most useful parts of the book were the sections on confidence at work and dating. The criticism of the fertility chapter makes zero sense because she literally starts it by saying you don’t have to read it if you don’t want kids and because this is a very important time for human fertility. I’m really glad I read this book to hear about the underpinning psychology and sociology of the twenties decade. Thank you to the publisher for the ARC of the new version.

The Defining Decade is a great book for any twenty something. Jay's use of psychology and call for intentionality are a great combination that read with sincerity. The vignettes presented were relatable and the book was encouraging and engaging without being preachy. I have been wanting to read this for a while and it did not disappoint.

This book was so worth the read, even as a 29 year old. As Jay explains at the beginning of the book, the “defining decade” is flexible in that it may start at different points for different individuals, but it generally spans from early-mid 20s to early-mid 30s. Ryan goes through major areas in a person’s life and describes different ways to effectively approach these areas in our lives for maximal outcomes. She uses personal anecdotes from her clients as well as research to give fact-based but personally driven guidance. I found this book to be eye opening and highly informative.

5/5 stars. Recommending to friends!