Are you a Human Being or a Human Doing?

According to Fortune Magazine, the new retirement is no retirement. And yes, you read that correctly. Baby Boomers do not want to retire, some for financial reasons but others say they simply would not know what to do with themselves.

We have been socialised to value ourselves based on our “doing” which is measured according to our productivity. This is what has led to many of us feeling fatigued. Resting is not perceived as being productive. However, there is no guarantee that constantly being productive yields better results or even the results that we deeply desire.

Baby Boomers were the generation who stuck to the traditional corporate ladder. Most have degrees from higher education institutions and enjoyed the benefits of long-term job security. The consequence of Baby Boomers not retiring, further complicates the dynamics of intergenerational working environments. Now more than ever, we need better understanding of individuals on a human-to-human level.

Most Baby Boomers do not associate the words, “mental wellbeing”, “stress”, “anxiety” and “depression” with their experiences. One could argue that this could be a byproduct of them not having the luxury to use these words in their time. Alternatively, a lack of research and knowledge when it comes to such terms could also be a contributing factor. We cannot have this conversation without taking into consideration the integral role which technology plays in the dissemination of knowledge.

Arguably, Millennials and Gen Zers are a more mindful generation. Factors which have contributed to this are: their relationship with technology, the access which they have to knowledge and the cadence which knowledge is distributed. Perhaps previous generations experienced these signs of distress but did not have the language to articulate exactly what was happening. Further, the looming stigma attached to mental illness kept them quiet.

It could be argued that Baby Boomers experienced and reaped all the benefits of capitalism. In contrast, Millennials and Gen Zers have followed the same traditional paths laid before them but have not reaped the same benefits. Millennials and Gen Zers are 40% poorer than their parents and grandparents were at their time (https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/03/survey-adults-say-theyre-doing-worse-financially-than-their-parents.html). In conjunction with the fact that Baby Boomers do not want to or cannot retire, the career progression path for Gen Xers, Millennials and Gen Zers remains uncertain.

Perhaps this is why Millennials and Gen Zers find themselves in a distressed state. Their circumstances together with the advancements made in research when it comes to mental wellbeing and technological advancements has Millennials and Gen Zers talking about their experiences with reference to words like “mental wellbeing”, “stress”, “anxiety”, “depression” and “self-care”. Millennials and Gen Zers are also a more vulnerable generation as they find community in sharing about certain experiences which previous generations attach a certain shame to. Break ups, layoffs and career struggles are some of these experiences.

As a more mindful generation, they have seen the lack of quality-of-life Gen Xers and Baby Boomers had and are intentionally trying not to replicate this. Learning how to rest gives us the space to be a lot more intentional in our careers and lives. But maybe, that’s what we fear. Maybe deep down inside, we have become so accustomed to someone else having the answers about what we should be doing now or what we should aspire to be doing next. Maybe this is why the silence in self-reflective practices scares us because the truth is, maybe we don’t know ourselves as well as we think we do. Maybe we prefer being told who we are because it takes a lot of the pressure off us to form our own sense of self that may not necessarily conform to societal standards and expectations and stick to it.

There is safety in numbers and maybe that is why so many people prefer to walk those traditional paths. The risk of being seen to deviate is too much for some to bear. But why would you mourn your potential why you are still alive?

Busy is good but busy should never be a distraction.

Millennials and Gen Zers are intentional about how they are going to spend their time and with who. They cannot see the rationale in spending years of their lives in jobs that they may not necessarily enjoy with people who they may just be tolerating, all to fund a lifestyle that feeds an insatiable beast. Meanwhile, remaining unfulfilled. Left longing for real purpose, meaning, fulfilment and genuine connection. I’m sorry but I personally believe this would cause anyone to have feelings of stress, anxiety and depression.

Constantly doing for the sake of doing will not spark a light in you. One thing that I have learned is that if you do what you love then you are in a state of human being which is doing. We find self-reflective practices such as meditation, journaling and breathwork so difficult because we cannot justify giving ourselves an hour to simply sit and enjoy the silence. The little voice in our heads convinces us that there is something better that we could be doing. Honestly, what can be better than just being? Having a moment where we are simply allowed to just be. Without the weight of any responsibilities that come with any of the assigned roles which we play. For example, being a mother, father, partner or friend. We feel guilty, but guilt is just a feeling. It is temporary and it will go away.

Maybe these self-reflective practices don’t seem valuable to us because the rewards are not quantifiable or visible. We cannot say “I’m excited to announce” or “I’m happy to share” after engaging in said practices. There is no crowd clapping for us at the end. The rewards reaped are internal. For those that perceive things in a logical manner and value the tangible, this process may seem cumbersome.

Movement or “doing” without intention does not necessarily equate to productivity.

Find stillness.

Rest, it’s productive.

You are a human being. It is okay to just be.

Are you a human being or a human doing?

With light,

The Lantern