Talkin' 'bout a Generation

Generation is a concept that has always confused me.  People born between certain dates are meant to share certain characteristics but no one ever seems very certain when those dates begin and end.  Generation in general terms, seems to be quite a new concept, starting with the Baby Boomers (people who were teenagers in the 60s), like the Who, forever singing about their generation and thinking they were special.  Before that generation was just something used to describe sections of the family tree, as in grandmothers are a different generation to mothers who are a different generation to daughters. Now, this is where it gets confusing because my Aunt and I are in different generations on our family tree but probably in the same 'Generation'.

My Generation is called Generation X and our characteristics are supposed to be that we are highly educated, balanced, happy and family orientated.  We are a generation that fights corruption,embraces social diversity and champions human rights and volunteers more than any other generation.  We are the MTV generation, who likes music videos. We sound quite nice, don't we?  Generation Y, don't come off quite so well.  They are a selfish 'me' generation, who are competitive and unable to stand on their own two feet.  They are known as the Peter Pan generation, with 'helicopter parents' (those do-gooding Generation X-ers who couldn't leave them to grow up on their own.)

I was alerted to this new generation by a post on Facebook called "The 20 Things You Need to Let Go to be Happy" on Elite Daily (the Voice of Generation Y).  The article was posted by young people who made comments like, "What a good article!" and "So true!"

Suddenly, I realised that I am in a different generation.  The article wanted me to give up some of my favourite things to be happy.  I questioned my own happiness and decided that I was really happy (a Generation X trait), so I thought I would re-write the article, as advice from an old Generation X-er to a young Generation Y-er.

1.Approval of Others - The article says, "who gives a s**t what others think?".  The truth is that you do.  It is also a fact that as you get older you will care less but when people do approve of you it makes you happy.  Don't give up something that could make you happy.  When the Long Suffering Husband says, "You look beautiful in that dress," I smile and when our school got an award for doing something well I beamed.

2. Anger - Not being angry won't make you any happier.  It might be nicer for those around you but their happiness isn't your problem.  I like being angry.  It tells me when something is wrong and it gives me the opportunity to change it.  Without anger I'd be a push-over and being a doormat isn't going to make you happy.  Having a good rant is one of life's major pleasures, you will miss it if you give it up.

3.  Negative Body Image - I agree with this, what you look like shouldn't have the power to change your mood.  You should love your body now, especially as by the time you get to be my age there will be less to love - it will have sagged, wrinkled and generally let you down in more ways than you care to mention.

4.  The Idea of a Perfect Partner - Well, just try telling the LSH he isn't perfect!

5. The Perfect Life -  I refuse to give up my perfect life.  It will not make me happy to do so. I suggest you try to believe that your life is perfect too and if it isn't then change it.  Life's too short to put up with bad things.

6. You are Going to be  Rich - If you want to be rich, don't give up the dream.  I am rich and I'm not giving that up.  I have enough money to feed, clothe and put a roof over the head of my family.  I can buy as many books as I like.  Money is a good motivator.  The thought that one day the LSH will have enough money to buy a Porche gets him out of bed in the morning.  He's be less happy if he stayed in bed all the time.

7. The Idea that One Day Good Fortune will Arrive on your Doorstep. - I've lived a lot longer than you Generation Y-ers and sometimes it does.  Hope makes you happy.  Don't give up on hope.

8. Excuses - The article says, "make no time for excuses."  How sad.  I love excuses.  Excuses are fun.  I keep a book of excuses because they make me laugh.  "I couldn't practise my flute this week because I fell asleep on the sofa biting my lip and got a big ulcer."

9. Thoughts of Your Ex  - I suppose it depends who your ex is and what those thoughts are.  I can imagine for some people thoughts of their ex being torn apart by flesh eating zombies would make them very happy.  

10 . Stubbornness  - What a horrible thing to give up.  If you give up your stubbornness then you will have to admit to being wrong and who can be happy knowing that they are wrong?  I stubbornly refuse to stop being stubborn.

11.  Procrastination - This is my absolute favourite thing in the whole world.  It is my major skill.  I am chief procrastinator of the United Kingdom and I am happy.  Without procrastination I would never write this blog, clean the oven or have any random thoughts.

12. Your baggage - Always keep your baggage.  You never know when that old overnight bag will come in handy.

  I wish I'd kept my old carpet bag and besides your emotional baggage makes you who you are and stops you making the same mistakes.

13. Negativity - I'm quite a positive person but life is about balance.  Everyone needs a bit of negativity.  The pleasure you get when you finally do something you thought you couldn't makes the success even sweeter.

14. Judgemental Thoughts - Ok so we all know this is bad but it is so much fun.  Discussing how you would never let your children do that, or how you would never wear a thong with see-through leggings with your friends makes you happy and you know it.

15. Jealousy  - Without jealousy how would you know what you want?  If you look at Facebook and are jealous of the friend who posts pictures of a fluffy white kitten and you think, "happiness isn't about having what you want but wanting what you have," and you don't have a pet then you will never get a pet of your own and then you will be less happy.  Pets, partners, children are good things to be jealous of, they will make you happier.  I am, however, trying not to be jealous of women with smooth shiny brown hair as I know it wouldn't suit me.

16. Insecurity - If you feel insecure it might just be telling you something.  The most insecure woman I knew found out that her husband had been having an affair for the past 20 years and there were some really dodgy things that he was into.  She's happier now he's gone.

17. Depending on Others for Happiness -  Other people can make you happy and why shouldn't they?  The article says, "at the end of the day the only person you can count on 100% is you."  That's so sad.  I count on everyone around me.  The dog, my family, my friends, my pupils, my colleagues all make me happy.  I hope I make them happy too.

18. The Past - The older you get the more you will enjoy your past.  There is nothing that will make you happier than remembering the day your first child was born, or the day your friend joined the school or the bedtime stories your parents read to you.

19.  The Need for Control - I'm not giving my control to anyone else.  I will let the LSH have the television remote but my lists make me happy.  Who doesn't love a list?

20. Expectations -   Expect great things for your life.  I have and I've had a great life and I expect it will just get better and better.

My advice for Generation Y is that you don't have to give up anything to be happy, except the things that don't make you happy, like guilt and reading articles about what you should do to make your life better.