Millennial Burnout or Christian Bliss
Many readers probably have read the Buzzfeed "How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation," by Anne Helen Peterson which describes many of my personal struggles growing up and taking part within our society. Moving past many stereotypes mentioned in this article, normally something I've read about in other articles, which are wholly sensational in nature, are usually a guilty pleasure of mine to read. One thing that this article mentions are many of the blocks Millenials mentally face in day to day life, behaviors fostered during upbringing, and the financial struggles many of us face.
I've been blessed with a loving family, many opportunities throughout life, both financially and professionally however one thing this article I find amiss is with that we're human like any other previous generation. Our struggles, during our time on Earth, may slightly differ but our survival I think goes deeper than just a review from what most of us, a Millennial, have experienced. What isn't gone through is political and social impacts that were historic. Though the article does touch upon the patiently waiting for the downfall of capitalism, the idea is a run on statement to support past generations efforts in society to make a difference.
My thoughts, may not vibe with everyone however I do think the author has valid views such as Millennials, including myself, have been given the short end of a stick. Strictly speaking for American Millennials, we're a politically divided country, where emotions carry more weight than fact, debates foster arguments, and we rarely work with anyone on the otherside of the aisle. Socially we're well into or moving past the Information Age where technology has radically offered new lines of communication and have drastically became part of our lives.
Some Millennials may remember a time before the internet, maybe even a time when air conditioning was in every house, or maybe West Michigan was behind the game... Either way, our early lives went from zero to Facebook within a matter of a little less than 20 years, fewer for others. Our parents coped without for so long, who've already had circles of friends, regularly meeting and socializing well before the internet. Currently life without a phone is difficult for most, without internet we'd have difficulty finding the local library, and without power I'd fear most would die in a couple of months, or less dramatically we wouldn't know what to do with ourselves.
I'd pose the following question regarding Millennial Burnout, is the fact that we make lists a base instinct we utilize when many stressors are present? Could the age we live in offer us to much information to the point that even with freewill, we often opt to do nothing because the decision making process wasn't instilled within us like our parents before? Secondarly could our opinion be easily swayed because the opinions and news articles we agree with or like to read cause us to self segregate from realizing the full depth of an event and understanding it? Or could it stunt our growth of processing information based upon our individuality?
Mankind hasn't had this type of technical revolution, with telephones there were years and costs to allow previous generations to grow with it and to have it's place in day to day life. Nowadays children get tablets before they go to school, often with limited supervision, and we expect the same nurturing in a nation where most children are raised vastly different than 50 years before. We often tell ourselves we need community yet are probably the most untrusting of others than any other generation.
Now apart from vast generalizations, where does bliss come from when you're burnt out? I've struggled with life's meaning, is there meaning in work? Does going out with friends bring meaning? Does exploring the world bring meaning? Yes, to some extent, we as human's want to find the human meaning of life which is always the next want, the next intimate partner, the next high. However meanings of something will always lapse, our natural disposition after survival is procreation, after that it's pretty much creating systems to make life for all better, after that it's difficult to define which is what the world is trying to figure out in my opinion.
However we can look back at what gave meaning to so many, the different facets of society, has always been religion. Athiest might think of it as an archaic comparison, well science is currently being foisted up as a religion with Man Made Climate Change being the catagorically the center piece where all should suffer to save the planet. Structurally Climate Change is the newest religion, it's great cause is the saving of humanity and everyone gets to partake as apostles.
The cruelest thing for mankind is creating something of man. Man's faith in man is always faulty, even with science with new theories presented or disproved theories that change the way we think. The snap shot of data that we understand that the ocean will rise by such and such date was falsely claimed before, in the '70s they thought that there would be another Ice Age. Our thoughts in this new Information Age lack questioning because we can easily prove or disprove by using the internet to find answers to all of the questions we could ever ask.
The exceptions are God, life after death, the future, and what rules to live by. The rules to live by in the humanist sense are today convoluted by laws that're made politically. However when given the Bill of Rights, we think that we should change it. Death is something most Millenials haven't wrapped their heads around and the future they wanted is quashed by life's realities. God is usually something the is loathed and shouldn't be brought up in public discussions. The taboo of our progressive society is that the past isn't worth mentioning.
The Burnout or Bliss for me "moment" was knowing and accepting God is with me in everything I do, Christ is my life's purpose, freedoms that self that are self evident by God give me the choice to do what I want with my life when I want. Our burnout, that's societies fault, not our own. As a Christian we're told not to be apart of the world and I think that presently it is apparent that our own way through Christ filled living gives me joy. The transformation to this realization was when I've been away from the church like so many others, I still finding God's purpose for my life presently. However if you've gotten this far, everything I've written before this paragraph doesn't mean a thing and to me that's freedom. Do you care for a life of unknowns, blame, stats, and opinions of others?
Now does that doesn't mean to stay ignorant however the big change is when instead of a list of things you have to do for yourself but how to serve others. Cleaning my house was chore, still is however I'm doing for people that come over and not myself. Knowing if you're doing the right thing isn't an unknown when you know you're doing it for others. Having a servant mindset serves God, which serves you, and will bring yourself up from the unimportant things in life.
If you find yourself questioning how can I believe in Christ when I'm an Atheist? That is a question many will struggle with, I cannot convince you the presence of God is real but what I can tell you is that he merciful and thinks you're always worthy of his love. If you're ever at an impasse in life, find yourself in the depths of dispare, or want to make a positive change in your life. Make a simple prayer and find a quiet spot, meditate on the silence without thought, and listen for that small voice in your head. All else fails, watch out for miracles, the important thing is making the choice and following through.
These might sound like very simplistic things to do but the biggest thing we can do is turn to God and it usually is a small step away from big changes in your life. I could go on but after your heart is changed finding a church is the next best thing. How can I serve the body of Christ? Find a church, not all church's are right for everyone, I wouldn't say that my childhood church would be right for me now but know that your life will have stepping stones. Also know that like the story of Daniel, you'll have negative things happen to you and good things happen to you, persistence in Christ is probably one of the attributes I was given.
To this day, I've traveled, met many wonderful people, served in different churches. I've left the church and worked a very difficult job and found my way back to new church where I've found my relationship with God picked up where I've left it. I've only gained more insight on my own self. There are many life lessons, one that I'm feeling compelled to make into a parable is: You've bought a giant bag of candy to work, you know the candy you bought in hopes that there would be many Trick or Treaters during Halloween. However 2 children show up the whole night. You feel bad because you bought candy for 2 kids but didn't give them all the candy because you hoped for visits from other kids after them. Instead of eating all the candy, you bring the rest to work and place it somewhere in the office where all could have access to it. While working in the cubical, you hear someone grab some candy, and then leave the office turning off the lights behind them.
Question is who is blessed? The children, yourself, or the coworker? I'm still working on this, as I'm at work, in the dark, and being tempted by candy...
I've been blessed with a loving family, many opportunities throughout life, both financially and professionally however one thing this article I find amiss is with that we're human like any other previous generation. Our struggles, during our time on Earth, may slightly differ but our survival I think goes deeper than just a review from what most of us, a Millennial, have experienced. What isn't gone through is political and social impacts that were historic. Though the article does touch upon the patiently waiting for the downfall of capitalism, the idea is a run on statement to support past generations efforts in society to make a difference.
My thoughts, may not vibe with everyone however I do think the author has valid views such as Millennials, including myself, have been given the short end of a stick. Strictly speaking for American Millennials, we're a politically divided country, where emotions carry more weight than fact, debates foster arguments, and we rarely work with anyone on the otherside of the aisle. Socially we're well into or moving past the Information Age where technology has radically offered new lines of communication and have drastically became part of our lives.
Some Millennials may remember a time before the internet, maybe even a time when air conditioning was in every house, or maybe West Michigan was behind the game... Either way, our early lives went from zero to Facebook within a matter of a little less than 20 years, fewer for others. Our parents coped without for so long, who've already had circles of friends, regularly meeting and socializing well before the internet. Currently life without a phone is difficult for most, without internet we'd have difficulty finding the local library, and without power I'd fear most would die in a couple of months, or less dramatically we wouldn't know what to do with ourselves.
I'd pose the following question regarding Millennial Burnout, is the fact that we make lists a base instinct we utilize when many stressors are present? Could the age we live in offer us to much information to the point that even with freewill, we often opt to do nothing because the decision making process wasn't instilled within us like our parents before? Secondarly could our opinion be easily swayed because the opinions and news articles we agree with or like to read cause us to self segregate from realizing the full depth of an event and understanding it? Or could it stunt our growth of processing information based upon our individuality?
Mankind hasn't had this type of technical revolution, with telephones there were years and costs to allow previous generations to grow with it and to have it's place in day to day life. Nowadays children get tablets before they go to school, often with limited supervision, and we expect the same nurturing in a nation where most children are raised vastly different than 50 years before. We often tell ourselves we need community yet are probably the most untrusting of others than any other generation.
Now apart from vast generalizations, where does bliss come from when you're burnt out? I've struggled with life's meaning, is there meaning in work? Does going out with friends bring meaning? Does exploring the world bring meaning? Yes, to some extent, we as human's want to find the human meaning of life which is always the next want, the next intimate partner, the next high. However meanings of something will always lapse, our natural disposition after survival is procreation, after that it's pretty much creating systems to make life for all better, after that it's difficult to define which is what the world is trying to figure out in my opinion.
However we can look back at what gave meaning to so many, the different facets of society, has always been religion. Athiest might think of it as an archaic comparison, well science is currently being foisted up as a religion with Man Made Climate Change being the catagorically the center piece where all should suffer to save the planet. Structurally Climate Change is the newest religion, it's great cause is the saving of humanity and everyone gets to partake as apostles.
The cruelest thing for mankind is creating something of man. Man's faith in man is always faulty, even with science with new theories presented or disproved theories that change the way we think. The snap shot of data that we understand that the ocean will rise by such and such date was falsely claimed before, in the '70s they thought that there would be another Ice Age. Our thoughts in this new Information Age lack questioning because we can easily prove or disprove by using the internet to find answers to all of the questions we could ever ask.
The exceptions are God, life after death, the future, and what rules to live by. The rules to live by in the humanist sense are today convoluted by laws that're made politically. However when given the Bill of Rights, we think that we should change it. Death is something most Millenials haven't wrapped their heads around and the future they wanted is quashed by life's realities. God is usually something the is loathed and shouldn't be brought up in public discussions. The taboo of our progressive society is that the past isn't worth mentioning.
The Burnout or Bliss for me "moment" was knowing and accepting God is with me in everything I do, Christ is my life's purpose, freedoms that self that are self evident by God give me the choice to do what I want with my life when I want. Our burnout, that's societies fault, not our own. As a Christian we're told not to be apart of the world and I think that presently it is apparent that our own way through Christ filled living gives me joy. The transformation to this realization was when I've been away from the church like so many others, I still finding God's purpose for my life presently. However if you've gotten this far, everything I've written before this paragraph doesn't mean a thing and to me that's freedom. Do you care for a life of unknowns, blame, stats, and opinions of others?
Now does that doesn't mean to stay ignorant however the big change is when instead of a list of things you have to do for yourself but how to serve others. Cleaning my house was chore, still is however I'm doing for people that come over and not myself. Knowing if you're doing the right thing isn't an unknown when you know you're doing it for others. Having a servant mindset serves God, which serves you, and will bring yourself up from the unimportant things in life.
If you find yourself questioning how can I believe in Christ when I'm an Atheist? That is a question many will struggle with, I cannot convince you the presence of God is real but what I can tell you is that he merciful and thinks you're always worthy of his love. If you're ever at an impasse in life, find yourself in the depths of dispare, or want to make a positive change in your life. Make a simple prayer and find a quiet spot, meditate on the silence without thought, and listen for that small voice in your head. All else fails, watch out for miracles, the important thing is making the choice and following through.
These might sound like very simplistic things to do but the biggest thing we can do is turn to God and it usually is a small step away from big changes in your life. I could go on but after your heart is changed finding a church is the next best thing. How can I serve the body of Christ? Find a church, not all church's are right for everyone, I wouldn't say that my childhood church would be right for me now but know that your life will have stepping stones. Also know that like the story of Daniel, you'll have negative things happen to you and good things happen to you, persistence in Christ is probably one of the attributes I was given.
To this day, I've traveled, met many wonderful people, served in different churches. I've left the church and worked a very difficult job and found my way back to new church where I've found my relationship with God picked up where I've left it. I've only gained more insight on my own self. There are many life lessons, one that I'm feeling compelled to make into a parable is: You've bought a giant bag of candy to work, you know the candy you bought in hopes that there would be many Trick or Treaters during Halloween. However 2 children show up the whole night. You feel bad because you bought candy for 2 kids but didn't give them all the candy because you hoped for visits from other kids after them. Instead of eating all the candy, you bring the rest to work and place it somewhere in the office where all could have access to it. While working in the cubical, you hear someone grab some candy, and then leave the office turning off the lights behind them.
Question is who is blessed? The children, yourself, or the coworker? I'm still working on this, as I'm at work, in the dark, and being tempted by candy...
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