The poor millennials. Everyone seems to be blaming them for everything that is going wrong in the world. They are called entitled, selfish, and lazy. If you are reading this and you are a millennial I feel sorry for you. The rules of the game have changed and it’s not as easy to get along in the world anymore.
If you are a parent of a millennial or old enough to be one, then remember who raised these kids. If you thought that giving kids participation medals and telling them they were special all along was a good idea, then you might not have prepared them for a world that was going to tell them that they are actually useless and no one thinks they are special at all.
I see so many people in so much internal turmoil these days. They don’t feel good enough, or thin enough, rich or successful enough. All they think about all day long is how life is unfair and that they will never be who they should be.
The problem with this perpetual state of unhappiness is that it isn’t healthy. It also doesn’t make anything different. When you become so self-focused, you don’t see what is going on around you, and then you become selfish.
You are selfish with your time, compliments, money and compassion. You don’t feel that you have enough so you don’t give anything to anybody. Then people think you are selfish, entitled, and lazy. See how the circle of life goes?
Try this today and it is guaranteed to make you feel better.
Action – Do something nice for someone else. Don’t do it with any expectation of getting something in return. Make it as big or as small as you want.
Steps – Keep your eyes open for an opportunity. Try to make it spontaneous and not something that you plan. This can be anything, from giving someone a hand carrying something or offering to help a coworker with a task he is struggling with.
Why It Makes You Feel Better – If you aren’t used to doing this, you will be amazed how good it feels to do something for someone else. We spend a lot of time thinking that other people are the enemy, that they are trying to rip us off or take something that we want. When you act selflessly and make someone’s life a little easier, or more pleasant, it will light up something inside of you that feels really good.
Once you feel better inside, you will start to notice the world a little differently. One small step of compassion could take you in a whole new direction of possibilities.
Example – Knowing how good this makes me feel, I am constantly looking for ways to be of service. The other morning I was coming down the stairs in the subway station and an elderly lady with a cane was trying to climb up three stairs to get to the escalator. She was wobbly and moved slowly. It was busy in the station, and dozens of people walked around her without even slowing down.
I asked her if she needed a hand and she looked at me with such relief in her eyes. She reached for my hand and I helped her up the last stair. Then a young man who was going in the direction she wanted to go gestured to me to allow him to help. It was a nice moment, and I think all three of us felt better after that. I know I did.
Look around and offer your humanity to someone. Smile, give a compliment, whatever- you will be amazed at how this can change your life today!