Beyond the Generation Box

Internationally Certified Life Coach Myke Celis delivered a talk on harmonizing the age barriers towards understanding each other. He began by distinguishing the five generation types, namely, the Traditionalists, the Baby Boomers, the Gen X, the Millenials and the Gen Z. He described the Traditionalists as the “Silent Generation”, very loyal people who work for one company until retirement. The Baby Noomers are the “Flower Children”, those who value relationships and use technology for productivity instead of connectivity. The Gen X are the “Sandwich Generation” as they focus on work-life balance. The Millenials belong to the ME Generation as they are Narcissistic Tech Gurus who feel a sense of entitlement. The Gen Z are the true digital natives who integrate online and offline experiences.

People often think of themselves as unworthy, unlovable, ugly, a failure or that they are not good enough. This often stems from technology and social media making people disconnected. Many interplaying factors such as family, peer pressure and social media are often hindrances to understanding different generations. Thus, we should make a choice, either we stay inside the generation box and remain broken or we step out of our own box and see the differences in a positive light.

Certain principles will lead us to think outside of the box and see the broader perspective. First, age does not matter, but, attitude does. Second, once we accept the realities, peace will reign supreme. Third, we should learn to talk more and take turns. Fourth, we should open ourselves to learning. Fifth, adjustment makes us all understand each other. Finally, let go and let be.

If we imbibe these principles, we will be ready to embrace a 2020 scenario of five generations working side by side towards progress. The key to harmony among different age brackets is to UNBOX YOURSELF.