BOO!
Just kidding.
In the spirit of Halloween this year, I’ve decided to write a post that’s a bit scarier than usual, without totally deviating too far from my normal blog theme. Forget about ghosts and ghouls. Instead, I’ll be discussing some deeper issues that my fellow peers are battling right now and how to help deal with those struggles.
*Note: For those who are over the age of 25, this is a great read for you, as well. Use this information to reach your Millennial audience. Understanding what our fears are may help you choose what NOT to add to your content on your next marketing strategy.
5.) Responsibility
We are officially adults. We can’t bat our eyelashes and say “I didn’t know” to everything. Nobody cares if we overslept and even if you were sick on Tuesday, you BETTER finish that press release by Wednesday morning. Police officers don’t care if you “accidentally” went over the speed limit. In other words, your life is no longer what it was.
It sucks, I know. With that being said, don’t let it scare you from living your life. Try looking at the positives, instead. You have more freedom, more money and more access to the world. You can think for yourself and what you say, goes. If you still find yourself struggling with this, consult your parents, a family friend or even a co-worker who’s a few years older than you are. Talking to someone can give you some good ideas on how to handle one of your “adult” situations.
4.) Job security
With more responsibility comes a better-paying job. This has been one of the biggest struggles for my fellow Millennials. For whatever reason, older generations (the Baby Boomers, to be exact) have this incorrect notion that all of us Gen Y-ers are selfish, entitled and arrogant. But the only reason we seem that way is because we’re small fish in this big pond we call the world. And our “entitlement” and know-it-all attitude is what’s getting us employed in this competitive job market.
In my personal experience, none of my peers are stomping around, banging down doors and bragging about how good they are at what they do. We just want a job. That’s it. A stable job with benefits. So we can get out of that living-paycheck-to-paycheck, earning-minimum-wage-because-I’m-in-college, eating-Ramen-Noodles-for-lunch-and-McDonald’s-for-dinner phase. All we want to do is own some stuff and get more people to know our names.
For those who are struggling with their job search, I just finished an entire series about the full interview process. I discussed topics like reputation management, resume editing, interview dos and don’ts, proper business attire and more. Click here to see ALL four parts of my Workin’ Wednesday series!
And ya know, even if we are a bunch of selfish brats like everyone seems to think? So what! I’m sure The Greatest Generation (born 1910-1925) wasn’t too fond of you, Baby Boomers, either.
3.) Identity
Oh my, oh my. This may seem like something you think you already dealt with earlier in life, but no. Nothing will test you more than the life you live after no one is telling you what to do anymore. Even in college, you still have some type of structure. Essay deadlines, group projects, final exams. But now? Now, you have to create your own structure.
Finding out who you are can be one of the most complicated stages you will ever go through in your life. You might think you have it all figured out, and then BOOM. Everything changes. Determining your personal values and beliefs will take some time. Not to mention, you’ll see your circle of friends start to change. And don’t worry about that. Your friends are an extension of who you are. And because of that, some of your college buddies aren’t going to fit into your future.
The best way to handle this is to be honest with yourself and those around you. If there is something you are uncomfortable with or don’t approve of, keep a distance from it. Do not ever feel obligated to do something you don’t want to do, just to stay friends with Sarah from the 3rd grade.
2.) Commitment
Haha, the picture I added to the right is very accurate. For some (a very small number), this may come easy to you. For others, it’s extremely difficult to commit to one person nowadays.
For those who are good with commitment, congratulations! You’re way ahead of the crowd. For those who are bad with commitment, take a minute to think about why. The most famous reason — I’ve been hurt in the past. Second place — I want to go out and see the world. And third — I just got out of a 10-year relationship, and I need a break (totally exaggerating here, guys). If any of those sound familiar, the best thing you can do is give yourself time. Even if John or Kelly is saying all the right things to you, the worst thing you can do is commit to someone before you’re ready. I mean, if you’re not ready, then you’re just not ready. No one can MAKE you be ready.
Don’t look for people to fill the empty gaps in your life. How can you ever share yourself with somebody if you haven’t been fully committed to yourself first?
*drum roll*
1.) Pregnancy and Children
Nothing in your life will ever be harder than raising a child. Period.
I say this because no matter who your children are, this will be the biggest investment you ever make. For the next 25 years or so (even though your job as a parent is forever), you will invest your time, faith, money and resources into someone who you hope one day will be successful. Sounds a lot scarier than stocks and bonds, doesn’t it?
While I don’t have any children of my own just yet, I believe one can learn some of the best life lessons from children. They teach you patience and commitment, love and compassion…open-mindedness. It’s the greatest gift of all!
Whether your children were planned or not, you have a big job ahead of you. But don’t let this scare you in the other direction. You have the chance to raise a human being! You get to instill in them the values and knowledge that you may not have had. You get to teach them the ways of the world and guide them through life. And best of all, they will love you unconditionally, and YOU will be their hero. I’m getting teary-eyed just typing this.
To all my godmothers and godfathers, young aunts and uncles…be there for your friends and family. They’ll need your support.
Well, that is my list! I hope this helped someone out there. I don’t have all the answers, and I’m still dealing with some of these issues myself. But the best advice I can give you is to find someone to talk to. Once you have that someone in your life that will support you no matter what, nothing will ever be too scary.
Hope you all had a great Halloween, and thanks for reading!
Disclaimer: I am, in no way, judging people for the decisions they choose (or don’t choose) to make. If I have offended you in any way, that was not my intention. If you feel as though you are making the right choices, then go live your life. In the end, do what’s best for you, and do what makes you happy. No one can really tell you how to live your life anymore. It’s YOUR life, and everyone else is just along for the ride. 😉