You need to get a good job. Back in my day we just stuck with one thing. It really isn't a good idea to spend money on travel when you should be investing. You have too much money. When I was your age I had a house deposit saved. When are you getting married? If you spent less time on the internet you would be way ahead of yourself. These are a few common words spoken by the older generations to people in their 20's and 30's. Personally, I have heard them all by multiple people, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. I'm here to tell you that it's okay to not be where your parents were at your age (thank God, otherwise I would be married and have a baby on the way if that were the case! #nottimeforthat). I have made a few points of which I think my generation are absolutely doing right, and explain why the older generations may think otherwise.
Happiness
Your mental health and clarity is worth more than anything in this world. You can be the fittest, most beautiful, successful person on this earth and still not live the best life you can. Mental stability and the act of truly being happy is priceless and is something that no one can take from you. Being happy, to me, means to be free of societies expectations. It means to be able to travel, to meet new people and experience new cultures. To be able to lift weights and train sports I didn't even know existed before. Being lucky enough to try new foods and be able to drink fresh water on a hot day is what makes me feel happy. Do you think I'm prioritising my career and investments over those things? No way! And that's okay. The time when your parents or teachers or family friends grew up was a completely different ball game and they did what was best for them at that time, just how we are living the best way we know how today. Perhaps happiness wasn't in the forefront of their minds, or they just did what they were told. Or maybe their definition of happiness was different to ours? Either way, happiness is experienced through many ways which may not make sense to others looking into your life. #youdoyou!
Travelling
The word 'privileged' and 'entitled' get thrown around a lot about my generation and I can see why, but it doesn't mean it's true. Yes, our pay is higher and yes it is much easier to explore new countries in today's world but does that mean we don't work as hard? It is all relevant, but not comparative. Maybe it means we don't appreciate it? Not at all, the people I know who have travelled or that I have met travelling all swear that it is a life-changing experience that they would never take back. So how does that sit for the older generations? Is it jealousy? Is it the fact that they are only travelling now in their 50's and 60's that they think younger people shouldn't be allowed to? The fact is we all have goals and lives to live and just because we like to travel doesn't mean we are destined for nothing, it means we are destined for greatness using the knowledge we learn on our way to pass down to younger generations.
Success
In today's society, people are having multiple career paths and job opportunities in their working lives. Previously if your first job was an electrician, you retired as an electrician. "Back in my day we stuck with one job". Is that why younger generations are more open minded? The meaning of success has changed from 'longest service' to best attitude. To be able to work with the widest variety of people with the 'can do' approach in any scenario. In saying this, success still has a dollar tag attached to it but it's not the be all and end all. I think my generation has learnt to accept and create their fate in a way no other generation before has done. Taking out judgement, expectations and regret and instead reverse engineering 'success' and how we work to mould it into a way that is maintainable. We have taken our (multiple) career(s) in our own hands, living and working how we want and with who we want and I that is what I think is powerful.
So, are you waiting for permission or a miracle? The time to live is now. The time to travel is now. The time to be 'successful' is now. The time to be happy, was yesterday. I have learnt to listen to advice, but not always take it. Always do what is best for you, your goals, your happiness and that is all that matters.
No shoes, no worries.
PS. Move more, move better
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