Happiness@TheSpeedofLife: What Can You Learn About Happiness From Millennials?
Published: Wed, 10/21/15
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Edition 131: What Can You Learn About Happiness From Millennials?
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1,298 words of content including 10 Millennial behaviors that also foster Happiness. Approximate reading time: 5.19 minutes. And isn't your Happiness worth it? This newsletter speaks to Leadership, Happiness, and Coaching in your life and work. If you received this from a friend, SUBSCRIBE now to get your own copy in the future. |
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 I recently updated my program on Generations In The Workplace for delivery to a mixed group of professionals in Human Resources, Communications, and Marketing. The focus was on the shifts required to engage with the Millennial generation, those consumers and employees in there 20s and early 30s who now make up over a quarter of the workforce. As I created my key points, I was struck by the parallels between many of the traits and behaviors of this generation and the behaviors that support Happiness and a more positive emotional life. I’m not saying there’s any evidence (yet) that this generation is any happier than past generations (either at home or at work), yet this exercise gives me hope that my children’s generation is headed in a positive direction! I share here my observations about Millennials and the Happiness connection. I invite you to ask: “What might I learn or pay attention to from this list?” (Note: these are noted as common characteristics of the Millennial demographic; as with any broad generalization, none of these are true for everyone, but each is true for someone.) 10 Millennial Behaviors That Also Foster Happiness
1. Less attachment to Stuff. A small yet significant segment of this generation eschews the accumulation of material goods. Movements such as Tiny Houses, Minimalism, and 100 Things have taken on new life with Millennials leading the way. Happiness Principle #3 says, “Live for Life, not Stuff; indeed, the more you let go of possessions and clutter, the more space shows up for Joy and Happiness. 2. They want an Experience. This generation focuses more time and energy on creating experiences – from travel to gaming to arts festivals to building foodie cultures and everything in between – and they take pictures of everything! The practice of Savoring (enjoying every moment, completely) builds strong emotional muscles to support Well-being and Happiness. In the moment, you can savor a meal, a show, or a conversation with friends; the pictures and stories generated from such events support future sharing and savoring of the good memories. 3. Embrace their uniqueness. This is the generation that transformed Geek-ness from something to be hidden into a badge of pride. Seth Godin in 2011 wrote the book, We Are All Weird, which encourages us to embrace our weirdness and leverage our differences. Give yourself permission to be Authentic – to show up as who you truly are and love yourself. Authenticity is foundational to Happiness and Contentment. 4. Won’t wait to “pay dues.” Prior generations were raised with the belief that “your turn will come, eventually,” especially in the workplace. Millennials arrived after the disappearance of corporate loyalty, so the only question left to ask is, “what can you do for me today, while I’m here?” Millennials have thus earned a reputation for being impatient. This annoys older generations, yet that impatience has driven organizations to cut time and waste out of many processes, both internal and customer facing – which is not a bad thing! Why should you have to wait for Happiness? If you believe you have to suffer through a purgatory of life to “earn” happiness, please reconsider. There’s nothing stopping you from asking, “What gives me Joy? For what am I Grateful?” and relish that right now. 5. Focus on making a difference as much as making a living. While politicians squabble over who is to blame for what’s wrong in the world, data on Millennials show that a larger percentage of this group are engaged in or support causes of Social Justice and Sustainability. They will inherit the world their elders messed up, and many of them are determined to fix the problem rather than fix the blame. The data on well being shows that people who volunteer and get engaged in positive causes experience more Satisfaction and Contentment in their life. So when invited, say Yes! 6. Challenge everything. Millennials came of age as the change curve accelerated. They have never lived in a world where something major was not in flux, so it is entirely natural for them to ask, “what’s after this?” or “How can we make this better?” Whenever something is not working, ask questions. Challenge yourself, challenge others. Notice that Curiosity and Inquiry can make a huge difference in your life, especially when you choose to use those skills on purpose to look for what’s better. 7. Expect and demand flexibility. Those darn Millennials – they don’t want to work in a confined space, during confined hours – heck, they want more time off! What’s “wrong” with these people, don’t they know we’re running a business?! The truth is that the focus on better balance of work and life – started by Gen X and turbocharged by Millennials – is fueling a new conversation about flexibility of working hours, paid time off, and working conditions that employees of EVERY generation are enjoying. For many people, increased flexibility reduces Stress, creating more space for Calm and Joy. 8. Expect and demand frequent conversation and feedback. When Traditionalists and Baby Boomers were in school, they took a test on Monday and learned the result a week later. Millennials were raised on Scantron – fill in responses on a computer bubble-sheet in the morning, and get your grade after lunch; if you have e-learning modules, you get your grade immediately! Then Millennials joined the workforce and were told, “we’ll tell you once a year how you’re doing.” NOT! In recent months the Human Resources and corporate worlds have been rocked by the news that even the bastions of annual top-down Performance Appraisal like GE are planning to eliminate the hated annual ritual and replace it with immediate, never-ending feedback from all directions. What’s the connection to Happiness? It can come from anywhere, all the time. It’s not about being “gifted” with happiness once a year or so. Happiness is a Decision, remember? You can choose to interpret events through a positive or a critical lens, and that choice makes all the difference in the quality of your life. 9. Value community. Turns out Millennials are just as interested in face-to-face interaction and community engagement as any generation. Yes, they use Social Media more, but it’s often an extension/continuation of relationships (and it’s impossible to compare w/ prior generations as the technology did not exist then!) People need people. We are social animals who need to connect w/ communities to feel alive. There is a direct correlation between Happiness and belonging to real, live social networks – family, friends, co-workers, and tribes of like-minded people. 10. Expect to engage in multiple ways, based on what works for them. When I entered the workforce there were only three ways to engage with others: face-to-face, by phone, or by letter – typed or hand-written and sent via mail. Today we have those three options PLUS we can email, vmail, fax, tweet, text, post, update, curate, blog, message, IM, FaceTime, Slack, Skype, Zoom, etcetera. Those who seek to communicate must respect that every communication channel has value, and find multiple ways to both send and receive. Happiness comes in as many “flavors” as there are people in the world. Honor yourself by noticing what invokes Joy, Happiness, Contentment, and Gratitude in YOU, versus trying to be like anyone/everyone else. Do This For Yourself
If you are over 35, take a lesson from the Millennial generation and expand your capacity for flexibility and Happiness. If you are a Millennial, take a moment to make that connection to Happiness in your life… and be kind to a Boomer today. Remember, Leadership is not about a title: Anyone can be a Leader who fosters an environment that honors the gifts that everyone brings, honors the needs that everyone has, and honors everyone’s right to choose what brings them Happiness and Joy.
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Want more Happiness, Leadership, and Coaching conversations in your life? Contact me today. If you received this from a friend, SUBSCRIBE now to get your own copy in the future, plus you'll get a valuable leadership report! All things Happiness Coach:  
 View past editions at http://www.TheExecutiveHappinessCoach.com/resources/archives/. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Happiness is a decision,
not an event.
How will YOU decide
today?
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The Executive Happiness Coach® is a global provider of Executive Coaching and mentoring services. With clients in 27 countries and six continents, my passion is to help build a Happier world and workplace, one Leader at a time.