PEOPLE in their 20s and early 30s are in a relatively negative state of mind. This age group experiences the most negative thoughts and the least positive emotions of all age groups.
What’s causing millennials so much angst?
By studying a data set of writing activities completed by over 250,000 Happify users, it found out that millennials are obsessed with their jobs, don’t socialize much and don’t seem to set much in developing a spiritual life.
Gratitude. In the study, the topics for which millennials specifically expressed the most gratitude were “positive interactions with colleagues,” “having a low-stress commute,” “getting a new job,” “being satisfied with an existing job,” “sleeping” and “relaxing in bed.”
Four out of these six topics were career-related and had to do with the process of finding a job or with daily work experiences.
Long-term goals. Those that were typical of millennials seem to target the commonly held objectives of reducing stress and worry and exercising more.
The study also found out that millennials are the group with the lowest interest in goals related to faith and worship.
Short-term goals. It found out that common topics were related to doing work tasks and being able to feel happy even in the face of discouragements.
This suggests millennials are stressed, worried (and aware of it) and are occupied with getting a great job.
A happiness prescription for millennials? Looking at these differences between millennials and other age groups, one cannot help but wonder if spiritual life and social life are not the missing ingredients that could make millennials happier.
Perhaps being happy also involves being occupied with fundamental and spiritual human questions, as well as having a network of deep and close relationships with family and friends.
Harvard Business School Publishing Corp.
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