Millennials and 'Self-Discovery'
I am certain that I am not the only one in my generation who has 'hit the wall', so to speak. I am young and have a lot a life ahead of me. But, I find myself wishing for early retirement or to win the lottery. I regularly entertain the idea of an easy fix for the constant droning that is my "daily grind".
Then, I usually spend five to ten minutes pondering why I consider my work life a metaphorical 'grind'. I think I may have uncovered one of the reasons for this.
As a child, monetary concerns were always paramount in our household. Money was not something that came easily or often to my family until I was middle school (and even then, only for a short while). I can still hear my parents arguing about checking account balances and past due bills as the soundtrack to some of my earliest memories. That's not to say that my parents didn't provide for my little brother or myself. They just struggled every step of the way. The concept of wealth was one that was a bit distorted in my early years. For many years I believed that wealth (and the display of said wealth) genuinely made you a better person.
I posit that I adopted this incongruity because of how my parents longed so deeply for a "better" life. Which, to me, equated to more money. The idea that something was "better" based on its monetary value is something that has been driven into me so thoroughly that, for years, I didn't even realize that I was allowing myself to be pushed into eventual unhappiness because of this empty mind-set.
I'm sure that logically, we all know that just because something cost more that doesn't always necessarily mean it's "better" or that you, yourself, are better for having been able to obtain said item. That doesn't stop us from wanting these things though. Does it?
I believe the misery of my "daily grind" is a symptom of this condition. The condition of living a past where I am witnessing (and feeling) a constant struggle for money. The more I stress, the less money I accumulate due to things like emotional spending, and avoiding my bank account balance. The more I avoid, the more I stress. Which is how you get ulcers FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!
Why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we play these games with such emotional investment? After removing the emotional attachment to our possessions and financial state, I feel that we can finally be free.
Therein, lies the problem.
Millennials.
We.Want.All.The.Things.
How do you tell several generations of young adults that their parents may have had it wrong? How do you show them a better way of living without damaging our commercialist way of life? How do you enlighten and fortify young adults' outlook on life?
That's what I am here to uncover. I want enlightenment, peace, growth, fortification, and so much more. I guess you could say that I want all the things. But I want the things that I feel matter the most.
Then, I usually spend five to ten minutes pondering why I consider my work life a metaphorical 'grind'. I think I may have uncovered one of the reasons for this.
As a child, monetary concerns were always paramount in our household. Money was not something that came easily or often to my family until I was middle school (and even then, only for a short while). I can still hear my parents arguing about checking account balances and past due bills as the soundtrack to some of my earliest memories. That's not to say that my parents didn't provide for my little brother or myself. They just struggled every step of the way. The concept of wealth was one that was a bit distorted in my early years. For many years I believed that wealth (and the display of said wealth) genuinely made you a better person.
I posit that I adopted this incongruity because of how my parents longed so deeply for a "better" life. Which, to me, equated to more money. The idea that something was "better" based on its monetary value is something that has been driven into me so thoroughly that, for years, I didn't even realize that I was allowing myself to be pushed into eventual unhappiness because of this empty mind-set.
I'm sure that logically, we all know that just because something cost more that doesn't always necessarily mean it's "better" or that you, yourself, are better for having been able to obtain said item. That doesn't stop us from wanting these things though. Does it?
I believe the misery of my "daily grind" is a symptom of this condition. The condition of living a past where I am witnessing (and feeling) a constant struggle for money. The more I stress, the less money I accumulate due to things like emotional spending, and avoiding my bank account balance. The more I avoid, the more I stress. Which is how you get ulcers FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!
Why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we play these games with such emotional investment? After removing the emotional attachment to our possessions and financial state, I feel that we can finally be free.
Therein, lies the problem.
Millennials.
We.Want.All.The.Things.
How do you tell several generations of young adults that their parents may have had it wrong? How do you show them a better way of living without damaging our commercialist way of life? How do you enlighten and fortify young adults' outlook on life?
That's what I am here to uncover. I want enlightenment, peace, growth, fortification, and so much more. I guess you could say that I want all the things. But I want the things that I feel matter the most.
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