Living in this generation is hard. We are bombarded by millions of chances we have to make every day, such as what kind of outfit we are going to wear or what kind of coffee we are going to order today. Everything is going at a fast pace. We must adapt to new inventions before we even learn about the previous ones. Not only that, we slowly own a lifestyle that is different from what our parents always expect us to have. Below are the things I would like to share with you while living in this tough generation.
Living in this generation forces you to not only care about your own needs and wants, but also your family’s needs. Who will pay the bill for the extra laundry? Who is willing to help your dad to pay your little sister’s tuition fee? You want to be selfish, but deep down in your heart, you know you can’t. Because above all else, you still care about your family and their well-being.
Living in this generation requires you to work a lot harder. You want to give your parents the proper life they always dreamed of, but you also have your own bills to pay. It’s like after you graduate and finally get a job, life is not any easier. Quite the opposite, the burden on your shoulder is heavier. You build up walls to save yourself from the pressure you felt. You feel lonelier than before.
Living in this generation makes you feel like you can’t be a mediocre person. Family and social expectations are high. Your parents pay your school fees to see you succeed in life. Your peers start to make twice the amount of your salary, and to make it even worse, they post it on social media to receive validation from virtual people. You are under siege by your own feelings to become the person they always wanted you to be.
Living in this generation makes you scared to think about love. It’s like you aren’t allowed to love until you already have something to offer. Something that can wow them. Achievement is a new currency in love. People fancy the idea of someone more than they fancy the person standing in front of them.
Living in this generation makes you think about mental health more than you already do. You try to keep yourself sane while watching other people’s achievements every day. You run out of breath while following their pace. Catch up with the speed you aren’t used to. You are stressing out about the future. but deep down in your heart, you know that you just want to live life fully. You want to have fun. You want them to think about your feelings too.
I, too, know that living in this generation is tough. When everything in life feels like a competition, I want you to know that running faster does not make the route easier. The rocky road is still there. So run at your own pace. If you don’t know what speed suits you, try out different ones. Trial and error always make you learn more about yourself. Learn by mistakes. Do not quit. The finish line never changes, and you may not be the first, but who cares about being the first when you can be the happiest while enjoying every process of growth in life?