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There is no doubt that generational gaps exist, as each group faces different challenges and experiences different milestones that shape their perspectives.
However, with the rapidly evolving world around us, there is a dire need for intergenerational collaboration and learning.
One generation that can certainly pass on invaluable lessons to the upcoming one is the Baby Boomers, born between the mid-1940s and mid-1960s.
In this article, we explore how Boomers can help Gen Z pave the way toward a fulfilling future.
#1. Compound Interest is Your Friend
It’s a shame schools do not teach personal finance.
Otherwise, more people would understand the importance of saving and investing early in life.
The more time you keep your money saved or invested, the more time it has to grow.
The key is keeping it in a specific investment and not changing every time the stock market drops.
The market naturally goes up and down. But if you look at it over the long term, 20 or 30 years, the trend is higher.
This means if you can be patient and not pull your money out, you will make money.
#2. Experience Events Without Your Phone
Go to a concert or sporting event these days, and the majority of people will be holding up their phones to record the event.
They think this is great because they can rewatch it whenever they like, but they miss out on the experience.
They will never be able to close their eyes and relive what it was like to be there. To see the thousands of people around them, what that felt like, sounded like, etc.
They are too focused on watching the event through their phones. It’s as if they weren’t there but watching on TV.
#3. Wear Sunscreen
There are multiple reasons for this lesson.
First, the sun ages your skin, so by wearing sunscreen, you can keep a more youthful look later in life.
But it’s not all about appearances.
Too much sun leads to sunburn, increasing your risk of skin cancer.
The good news is many clothing options have SPF protection built in. The bad news is that you must work harder to remember to put sunscreen on your face and other exposed parts.
#4. Give Social Media a Break
Social media is a great way to stay in touch with long-lost friends.
But too many people get sucked into the dark side of it.
They fall into the trap of thinking everyone else is more successful than they are.
Or they get into petty arguments with strangers, leaving them angry and bitter.
One person shared, “It just rots your brain. Whether it destroys your attention span, misrepresents how awesome other’s lives are, or just pigeonholes you into an echo chamber, it does no good.”
#5. Don’t Make Your Job Your #1 Priority
Too many people let their careers define them and are fiercely loyal to being the best at their job.
This could mean they work late or even on the weekends.
Not only do they take pride in doing this, but they also think the company will be more loyal to them.
But the reality is no company is loyal to anyone. At any point, they can let you go for any reason, no matter how great a worker you are.
You are simply a cog in a machine.
One person said, “If you die, your employer will have your job posted before you are buried. Remember that on when making work/life choices.”
#6. Have Positive Self Talk
The world can be a mean place where everyone is against you.
The last thing you need is to be your own worst enemy.
Whenever the little voice in your head starts to put you down, you need to change the topic and think positively.
If you don’t, you will become insecure and doubt everything about you, making life miserable.
You will see others succeeding while you are stuck, not going anywhere.
#7. Be Kind
Life is short, and putting your energy towards hate or anger is not worth it.
Be nice to people and treat them with kindness, even if you disagree with them or if they don’t show you the same respect.
You will become more positive and feel better about your life overall.
This will lead to more happiness and success in your life.
#8. Sleep is Important
No one wants to miss any fun, so many people will forego getting enough sleep.
But as with your health, this too catches up to you.
Every day it seems more research shows that a lack of sleep increases your chances of certain diseases.
And contrary to popular belief, you cannot make up for lost sleep. So if you get four hours tonight, you can’t get 12 hours tomorrow and call it even steven.
#9. You Will Fail, How You React is Important
Life is hard and will throw you difficult times, even failures.
The most important thing is how you react to these events.
Do you get angry and carry a grudge? React in a way that harms you or someone else?
Or do you take the high road and move forward with life?
As one person shared, “Not being able to admit when you’re wrong will no nothing but cause you problems, and often I’ve seen people actively make things worse because they’re so afraid of just being wrong.”
#10. Relationships Should Be Fun
When it comes to spending your life with someone, whether dating or marriage, it is critical to remember the connection should be fun.
As one person said, “Marriage/relationships should be fun, and happy. Life is hard, things get tough. Find someone that makes the tough times easier, not harder.”
Of course, there will be arguments and tough times even with the right person, but overall, you will enjoy your time with the person.
#11. Take Care of Yourself
You might not see bad choices you make about eating and not exercising when you are young, but they will catch up to you eventually.
You will have to pay thousands in medical bills to help keep you going, and your quality of life will be bad.
So make it a habit of exercising now. It doesn’t mean you have to spend hours a day in the gym.
Go for a walk every day. Do some pushups, pullups, and body weight squats.
Also, remember your teeth.
Getting crowns or implants costs a fortune. Brush and floss every day.
#12. Using Hearing Protection
Young people think they are invincible, so they take many risks without considering the consequences.
One risk that rarely gets talked about is exposure to loud noises.
While the odds are against you that you will lose your hearing, you most likely will develop tinnitus or ringing in your ears.
This ringing is always there. It never goes away. And it makes it difficult to hear people in noisy places.
So make it a point to wear ear protection whenever you are around loud sounds.
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Jon Dulin is the passionate leader of Unfinished Success, a personal development website that inspires people to take control of their own lives and reach their full potential. His commitment to helping others achieve greatness shines through in everything he does. He’s an unstoppable force with lots of wisdom, creativity, and enthusiasm – all focused on helping others build a better future. Jon enjoys writing articles about productivity, goal setting, self-development, and mindset. He also uses quotes and affirmations to help motivate and inspire himself. You can learn more about him on his About page.