Straight forward, witty and timeless. #TellItLikeItIs, is a blog for our generation 
Intro
Dear Generation Y,
How have you been? It’s midway 2022, and based on the events of the prior 2 years, I know that some of us are just about making that lemonade from all the lemons and adding sugar as we go along. Thankfully, we’ve finally gotten a bit of breathing space from the Co- vid 19 saga and for most of us, (gas prices aside) we’re now slowly transitioning into whatever we can call our actual present reality, beyond the world of face masks.
Which brings us back to the ‘lemonade making’. Wherever this finds you, or whatever your current situation is, let me say this – I am so proud of you Gen Y.
I certainly and 100% know about those lemons, even before the Covid situation. As a fellow Gen Y, I’ve had my fair share. While I may not know about your individual lemons, I’ve lived enough to gather some golden nuggets of knowledge about ‘lemonade making’. So, Here’s the juice.
Juice
First, a little encouragement and a few words of advice. Do your best, try not to worry too much, Don’t overstress anything, Don’t take everything so seriously other than the things that are meant to be taken seriously, live in the moment and lastly, don’t think it’s the end of the world if things don’t work out as planned.
If it’s one thing I have learned and can tell you with confidence is that, for those of us who consistently put in the effort, THINGS EVENTUALLY WORK OUT. The script may not go according to plan or have produced the movie you expected, but with continued effort – things will come together.
Which brings me to the next piece of advice – Do everything you can to keep a positive outlook on life. This may be easier said than done, but it can be done and with great benefit. Look for the silver lining of every rain cloud, and even an inch of ‘upside’ in every situation. Because, every situation can produce an opportunity for growth. When you choose to develop an ‘attitude of gratitude’, you learn to make that personalized lemonade work for you, which can open many unexpected doors. It seems tough right now, but test it out. The experiment is proven to show some positive results.
A note to the younger drinkers
To the younger Gen Y (25-29 years)
Right now you’re In your mid to late 20’s and are planning your life/career as we speak. Good for you. Those of us on the other end of the generational cohort have been there. This is one of the most important parts of your journey, which can predict the next 10-15 years of your life. Your family will impress upon you the importance of having a steady job and having your future planned out and the family influence will very likely be great at this stage. But, as previously mentioned… ‘ The next 10 -15 years of your life’, is coming right up.
If your family’s preference for your future doesn’t quite add up with what you want, It can be extremely intimidating to have a conversation at this point to explain to them why you are choosing to ‘march to the beat of your own drum’ and not toward the path that they expect of you. Word of advice, don’t ignore the need for that conversation. It’s more important than you can imagine, to have that open discussion with your family about the path that you do choose and to do so with complete clarity. When it is out of the way, you’ll be happy you did it ( regardless of the response) and can then allow yourself to pursue whatever it is that you are passionate about – openly, freely & whole heartedly.
Lavender Lemonade Martini
The word lavender comes from the Latin word ‘lavare’ meaning (“to wash”) and the color of lavender usually symbolizes gracefulness, elegance, calmness, creativity, vitality and optimism. For the rest of us on the more mature end of the Generation Y cohort, (30 – 40 years old), the above advice would likely not apply as we’re past this stage. At this point, we’re sipping on lavender lemonade Martini’s for mature audiences only. We’ve been through the spin cycle a few times and are just on the peak of realizing the true value of life and the things that really matter. Yes, our lemonade definitely has a hint of lavender with all the wisdom we’ve acquired in the past decade, especially on a professional and personal level.
Personally – In your 30’s to 40, you can either be sipping those life lavender lemonade martinis gracefully or be at a personal stand still. At this point, now is the time to recollect, regroup and plan the way forward. If you’re stuck, don’t stay stuck. Sure,life probably didn’t deliver all that you were promised. But by now, we’ve already seen that life is not a Disney movie, and as fully grown adults, the excuse of being disappointed vs. expectations is no excuse at all to not keep going. So, sip those martinis, be mindful of all the lessons that you’ve acquired and plan, plan, plan your way forward. Except this time, recognize that plans should not be rigid. Leave adequate room for growth and unexpected curveballs. You’ll find that this is a better approach.
Stuck in a rut professionally? Or is it that the job you once chose no longer appeals to you or feels mundane and repetitious? You’re not alone. This is a common occurrence with many, especially closer to 40 and particularly if there is no room for upward mobility or growth in your current work environment or field. But there’s hope. What you can do is try a change of attitude and do some self searching as to what may have gotten you to feeling like this along the way, and determine if there’s something that you can change within yourself and your work environment to revamp your optimism. If you’re up for it, maybe it’s time to also start making moves to improve yourself professionally. This could include taking courses to become more qualified or taking courses in another field.
Pursuing a more exciting career is also an option to consider. Who says it’s too late? 75 year old grandmother’s are out here getting their driver’s license for the first time. It’s early; if you really want to, go ahead and take the steps necessary to make that change. It can be scary, but if you believe in yourself, you can put things into place and take that much needed leap into happiness and greater professional satisfaction.
Closing
Each year makes us wiser and more knowledgeable about ourselves, who we are and where we want to be in life. The trick is to stay inspired. The world’s going to go through its changes and trials will come, but what matters is who you are and who you become amidst all of that. Let us look forward with hope and optimism, being mindful that the decisions we have made in our younger years and the seeds we plant today will all come together and contribute toward the next leg – our #40’s & the overall bigger picture.
Don’t be nervous, just keep growing, moving and transforming at every stage. In the words of Aristotle – “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”
Cheers to being an aspiring generation – Generation Y.
Sincerely,
Fellow Gen Y
Written By: Dilma Bastien & Andrea Louis
For: Generation Y Dominica
Generation Y Dominica 