The Mighty MILLENNIALS

Posted on April 27, 2018 by Ernie Froedge-Simms, One of Thousands of Relationship Coaches on Noomii.

The Mighty Millennials

I am a Baby Boomer who for the last decade has had the privilege of working alongside Millennials, either in supervising them as volunteers or employees; or as their peer. A lot of them are now just my friends.

I am impressed with the Millennial generation. They have spunk and a strong desire to improve the world. In a lot of ways, they remind me of us Baby Boomers in the 1960s and 1970s.

Many Millennials are seeking to define themselves and they don’t mind talking about their struggles. They like to rally together for causes and to get everyone they know involved. They believe they can make a difference with their lives, even though many of them sometime battle depression and anxiety.

I have never seen a generation where so many people set up “events” on social media. They want company and interpersonal connection. Although they are frequently engaged with various devices, they know that they also need face to face interaction.

For some reason, mighty Millennials like me. They invite me to lots of things. Millennials have invited me to numerous baby showers, outings, house concerts, art shows, book releases, and lots of coffee shops. I go to as many as my energy allows me. My Millennial friends know that I like them or love them; and even if I (or my husband and I) are the only older people at their event, they make us feel welcomed. I love interacting with them both one-on-one and in groups.

Some of my Millennial friends are creatively highlighting and coloring their hair in unique ways and I love their freedom of expression. I’ve even learned to look gracefully at their tatoos and to try to understand what they mean to them.

I sometimes hear my Millennial friends talking about how they won’t have money to retire because of college debt. Approximately 30% of Millennials are living with their parents because of financial concerns.

Although these kids have been told they were “special” a lot more than my generation was, they are still yearning for meaning and approval. Most older adults think Millennials are narcissistic. Indeed, they do talk about themselves a lot, but they love volunteering and helping others while they’re doing it.

I’ve noticed that Millennials sometimes don’t show up for volunteer appreciation meetings, because they have moved on to the next volunteer job or another employment opportunity. Supposedly this generation will change jobs on the average of 9 times in a lifetime.

Millennials want to be in a workplace where they can show their leadership skills. They want to get positive feedback and to be told that they are a great asset to the team. Millennials like to create new products and new ways of doing things.

If you are a Millennial, thank you for the good you are doing in this world. If you aren’t, take some time to sit down and have a conversation with a mighty Millennial. This is their century, and they have a lot to share!