It’s the most wonderful time of the year – except when you realize these are tough times, especially for millennials. For the optimistic Gen Y, the future may not seem so bright with a tough job market , insurmountable student loan debt and the average annual salary for millennials being less than $35,000.
Despite all these appropriate reasons to feel gloomy this holiday season, there are plenty of things for which millennials can be grateful.
Here are 5 reasons to count those blessings:
1. Communication is easier than ever. There are now endless ways to communicate with people, be it Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook or text messaging. Millennials have grown up with these burgeoning technologies and have the know-how to use them to their fullest. It’s easier to connect with family, friends and coworkers no matter the distance.
2. Parents are taking their kids back in. If you’re one of the lucky 40 percent of millennials whose parents were kind enough to let them move back in, that’s enough to be grateful for by itself. Having mom and dad or any family or support network as a landing pad can really help when you’re trying to save costs and figure out the next steps in life. And there’s no better time than the holidays to be around family and community.
3. The internet keeps everyone informed. Millennials are digital natives and the Internet is so ingrained into everyone’s everyday lives, it’s hard to calculate or appreciate the impact it’s had. You probably take it for granted, but we all rely on the internet for almost everything, from navigation, to finding dates to seeking out cute corgi videos.
In addition to making people’s lives easier, the internet has made knowledge more accessible than ever. As a result, Millennials are also the most informed and educated generation to date.
4. Millennials share a collective generosity. For the generation that gets so much flak for being self-involved, millennials actually give a lot. According to a recent survey from World Vision, 56 percent of millennial men have given a charitable gift, compared to 36 percent of older men. Overall, 60 percent of millennials donated an average of $481 every year.
5. Millennials still have a sense of optimism. Despite deep political divides and a number of other challenges facing Gen Y, millennials are actually the most optimistic generation on record. According to a recent Pew study, 80 percent of millennials believe they are currently earning enough or will earn enough in the future to support their desired lifestyle.
When times seem tough, it’s always helpful to count your blessings. Thankfully, millennials have every reason this season to remain hopeful for the future.
This blog was originally posted November 26, 2016
To read more about millennials, check out our First 5 series.