3 Mantras for Surviving “Generation Wealth”
I can’t wait to experience documentary photographer Lauren Greenfield’s multi-decade, multi-platform exploration of the thirst for wealth. It’s called “Generation Wealth.”
“We have left behind the American dream of my dad’s generation where there was the possibility of social mobility and the belief that anyone could make it,” Greenfield told The Guardian. “The things that were valued then — discipline, hard work and frugality — are not so important now. We have a culture that prizes celebrity, bling and narcissism.”
Materialism, obsession with status and the quest for social media superiority has undoubtedly grown, even in the past 5 years. We can feel it around us, see it in our relationships and the social codes surrounding social media and sense it in many millennial trends, eg., posting “deceptive” vacation pics to make others jealous.
But how can a “normal” person survive the avalanche of messages trying to bury us with demands to pursue wealth or the illusion of wealth? The reality is, wealth and materialism often don’t lead to a fulfilled, rewarding life.
I say, warm your soul with these mantras. Stay centered on what is important to you, so you can find your personal path to happiness.
Some like to practice gratitude. Or commit random acts of kindness. When you get too invested in social media comparisons and can’t simply remember that social media seldom reflects reality (people tend to post great vacation pictures, but not details about stress over credit card bills or embarrassing fights with their boyfriends), pull your thought processes toward things that made you happy today. Or yesterday.
Make yourself present in your life and in what you can control.
Don’t set yourself up for a rat-race of always wanting more and always needing to find ways to fund more. Build an emergency fund, a long-term investment strategy and dreams you can work toward funding.
If a designer bag is that long-term goal, well, good for you. It might also be a dream house, a better car or a great vacation. Setting a long-term goal can make it easier to stay within a monthly budget and say no to materialistic pressures.
The longer you live, the more you will understand this and the easier it will be to discern quality over quantity. You can’t buy true friends and all the money in the world won’t make up for their lack.
These all are things you probably knew. Success isn’t so much understanding these concepts, but reminding yourself of them on a regular basis so you don’t get nudged off your path. Find a way to appreciate both the journey and the destination.
