Photo: ShutterstockHere’s why Millennials are the happiest generation ever
Think the avocado toast joke has gotten old? You’re not alone. Truth is, it’s time to start paying less attention to how millennials save their money and pay more attention to how they spend it, instead. Doing so may reveal why millennials are the happiest generation—like, ever.
Their secret? Taking care of themselves. And that goes for mind, body, and spirit, experts say.
According to NPR, “more millennials reported making personal improvement commitments than any generation before them. They spend twice as much as boomers on self-care essentials such as workout regimens, diet plans, life coaching, therapy, and apps to improve their personal well-being.” They also tend to spend their money on experiences rather than things, which research has shown makes people feel more satisfied and fulfilled.
Self-care is not a new concept (nor a hard one!), but it’s super effective. After all, you can’t help others until you can first help yourself, as the saying goes. Self-care is also a sign of emotional intelligence, or the ability to harness and manage emotions for thinking, problem solving, and “cheering up or calming down other people,” according to Psychology Today.
As a result, more millennials than ever report being happy. That’s especially true compared to the Baby Boomers, which the Pew Research Center labeled the “gloomy” generation. Baby Boomers tended to rate their overall quality of life much lower than non-boomers. Meanwhile, younger generations had a more positive outlook overall—most likely due to their lifestyle choices centered on individualized self-care.
So the next time someone makes you feel guilty for that luxurious mani-pedi, you finally have an excuse! Just remember that it’s all in the name of being a little nicer to yourself.
Originally published as The Secret Behind Why Millennials Are the Happiest Generation Ever on ReadersDigest.com.
