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The surprising reason why Gen X has turned out to be the happiest generation

The truth is we were always happy.

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A concert crowd. An 80s woman. A skateboarder.

When many think of Generation X, they think "cynical slacker," i.e. baby-busting latchkey kids who were faced with so much world trauma, they never had the time nor the resources to process.

The Financial Brand, a database benefiting marketers, describes the generation as "once characterized as apathetic 'grunge kids.'" But now, with age, there has been a pivot in the perception, at least in terms of advertising. "Gen Xers are now known for independence, individualism and entrepreneurialism."

They further explain how we came to be this way: "Their childhood was marked by the end of the Cold War and the rise of personal computers — indeed, Gen X invented the internet economy — as well as a record-high divorce rate and the AIDS epidemic. They entered adulthood in a poor economy, which was further destabilized by the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the 2008 Great Recession, contributing to the generation’s reputation for cynicism. Many are now caring for children and aging parents at the same time, and Gen Xers carry the highest debt load of any generation."

Reality Bites, Winona Ryder, Ben Stiller, 80s movies, Gen X www.youtube.com, Universal Studios

But what ultimately became of this hardship was happiness. We were scrappy because we had to be. Our individualism turned many of us into entrepreneurs who created our own guidelines and goal posts. Out were the rule books so many of our parents followed and in was the idea that we could kinda just do whatever the heck we wanted.

In the recent article "Yes, Generation X is the coolest generation and (whisper it) the happiest too" forThe Independent, Bill Borrows confidently exclaims, "Gen-Xers (those born between 1965 and 1980) are now in their fifties and still doing what they were doing after the Berlin Wall came down and have never really stopped doing: having fun, living life."

Borrows notes the slew of authors writing about Gen X, many with conflicting theories. He shares how The Economist "dubbed us the new problem generation," while Vogue actually admits we're cool, as we were the "unbothered people that nobody talks about."

He claps back, "The cool ones have always been the 'unbothered people that nobody talks about.' Welcome to the party – it’s been going on for decades, but better late than never. It’s nice that Gen Z (1997–2012) are getting the memo too."

The key to our happiness is our coolness. From high school to now, a lot of us just didn't stop living a fun life. The Pixies come to town? We're there. Skateboard parks and bar crawls? Sure. Maybe it was our latchkey independence that told us we didn't have to become stodgy, so…we didn't.

And the truth is, even though we were labeled unhappy slackers, we were always happy. Fifteen years ago, researchers specifically studying Gen X claimed we've been doing just fine for a while. In Alene Dawson's 2011 article "Study Says Generation X is balanced and happy," for CNN, she cites University of Michigan's The Generation X Report which claims Gen Xers (who at the time were between 30–45) are "active, balanced and happy."

Using the research, Dawson takes apart myths one by one. One such myth was "Generation X is depressed." On the contrary, she writes, "Generation X is actually pretty happy. Two-thirds of Generation X are satisfied with their job; 24% of these workers rated their job at 9 or 10 on the satisfaction scale. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 meaning very happy, the median happiness score was 8, with 29% of Gen Xers saying they were very happy, scoring a 9 or 10."

Many have opinions on the matter. In the comment section of Borrows' piece, one person writes, in part: "They were the last generation to grow up in an era where home ownership was a choice, not a pipedream, and in which corporations and investment groups hadn't utterly wrecked the rental market. They benefited from having relatively comfortably well-off parents, a low cost of living, and are currently the wealthiest demographic by age in the whole country because Austerity didn't devastate their earning ability as much as every generation that came after."

Even other generations agree. "It's lovely to see you X'ers grow up and find out what us boomers knew all along, that life is what you make of it. So sweet."

Over on the subreddit r/GenX, a Redditor perfectly exemplifies why Gen X was both cool and remain (for the most part) happy:

"a) we didn't start the fire.
b) we collectively fixed a hole in the g-damned ozone layer.
c) Ryan Reynolds.

I don't even need to get into our musical contribution to know the debate doesn't even need to begin."

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Think investing is all about personal gain? Think again.

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Like so many immigrants, Leanna Wilson's parents came to America following the "American Dream."

Her father owned a small bakery in his homeland of Jamaica, but when the family moved to Atlanta, Georgia, their dream of a successful business didn't pan out exactly as they had hoped.

Leah Smith, Wilson's cousin, also has small-business roots, although her parents chose to stay in Jamaica. And despite being gutsy entrepreneurs, they never managed to thrive financially either.

But this didn't stop Wilson and Smith from growing and deciding to follow in their parents' entrepreneurial footsteps and become business partners.

Wilson and Smith. Photo courtesy of the Rockefeller Foundation/Upworthy.

"I don’t know when it is that we decided to start a business," Wilson says. "I think we always knew. Maybe it’s just in the blood."

They started a small company called GroupOut — a dining concierge service that helps groups navigate party and event planning in the often spatially constricted New York City.

Their joint backgrounds in corporate event planning, finance, and design helped Wilson and Smith's business take off, and soon enough, they were turning a profit.

Photo via GroupOut, used with permission.

Suddenly, they were presented with a problem they'd never imagined — what should they do with the excess money? Enter impact investing.

Simply put, impact investing allows investors to focus their capital on causes or organizations that create social change while still seeing a return on their investment, just like they would with any other investment. For socially conscious individuals like Wilson and Smith, it's a win-win.

"We always wanted GroupOut to have a social impact," Wilson explains. "We’ve struggled with finding the right way to do it."

Wilson and Smith are not alone in their desire to put their money toward a better world.

According to a survey by the United States Treasury, millennials are choosing to invest in organizations and projects that prioritize the greater good more than any generation before them. Not only are they simply more driven by activism, many are still struggling with things like student debt and shrinking job pools, so they're less trusting of traditional investment practices.

Young women making art at the YWCA Chicago. Photo courtesy of the YMCA/Rockefeller Foundation.

It's likely the reason why they're interested in having their investment dollars focus on causes that align with nonprofits like the YWCA and NAACP, whose mission is to empower women and eliminate racism.

That's where Impact Shares came in for Wilson and Smith.

Impact Shares is a nonprofit financial advisor that helps people invest in companies that are aligned with the social causes they care about because they partner with nonprofits — such as the YWCA and NAACP — to create a financial portfolio of socially responsible companies. This provides an incentive for companies included in that portfolio to continue to be an engine for progress and it creates a roadmap for others to do the same

It also directly benefits nonprofits, like the YWCA and NAACP, financially too. When investing, there is management fee that usually goes to Wall Street, but with Impact Shares, that fee goes back to the nonprofits as a charitable contribution.

Photo courtesy of the Rockefeller Foundation/Upworthy.

This makes Impact Shares a win-win-win for all parties concerned.

"Impact Shares is putting forth a new model for the next generation of finance," Adam Connaker, Senior Program Associate in Innovative Finance and Impact Investing at The Rockefeller Foundation, writes in an email. "One where investors can partner with leading nonprofits to give them a voice on corporate citizenship."

"Other Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) ETFs (Exchange Trade Funds) have made small charitable contributions, but this one goes to the next level by engaging the non-profits deeply and giving them the entire net management fee as a donation to support the incredible work they do on behalf of vulnerable populations," he continues.

Members of the YWCA Chicago. Photo courtesy of the YMCA/Rockefeller Foundation.

The YWCA ETF launched on August 27th and NAACP's was formally listed on July 18th for any other investors who might be interested in making an impact on women's empowerment.

If this is the future of investing, the world is in for some major improvements in social good organizations big and small.

For more on Wilson and Smith's story, check out the video below:

For more than 100 years, The Rockefeller Foundation’s mission has been to promote the well-being of humanity throughout the world. Together with partners and grantees, The Rockefeller Foundation strives to catalyze and scale transformative innovations, create unlikely partnerships that span sectors, and take risks others cannot – or will not.

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The 91-yr-old founder and president of Bob's Red Mill might just be the world's best employer - Upworthy ›

What if you could walk into a store, take what you need, and pay whatever you want for it?

And what if you could help others and save food waste by doing so?

That’s the premise behind The Inconvenience Store, a unique supermarket that opened in June 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. The store collects produce that stores plan to throw away because it’s not fresh (or pretty) enough to sell and "sells" it by donation.

It receives throwaways from a local bakery — breads that aren't good enough to sell but are still perfectly edible — for its patrons to take home. Other things that stores are prepared to toss, like items that are dented or just past their best-before dates, also stock the store's shelves.

There are no cashiers and no set prices — a contribution box sits near the exit as an unassuming invitation to give what you can in exchange for what you take. People can also volunteer at the store as a form of payment and support for the store.

Sounds like do-gooder, people-before-profit stuff, right? It is.

And the founder has already proven that the model works.

The Inconvenience Store is an offshoot of Lentil As Anything, a chain of vegetarian restaurants that has been in operation for 18 years under a similar pay-as-you-feel model.

Founded by Shanaka Fernando, a Sri Lankan immigrant with a passion for food and social justice, Lentil As Anything is on a mission to make meals that serve everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status.

"Restaurant culture separates us from the group at the next table," says the company's website, "and finances separate some from the table entirely. Lentil as Anything believes everyone deserves a place at the table."

Like the store, most of the people who work at the restaurants are volunteers who donate their time because they care about food, culture, and community.

"The underemployed, the homeless, refugees and the disenfranchised are all given an equal opportunity to gain skills and help their fellow humans at Lentil as Anything," says the website.

With no set prices on the menu, diners choose what they pay for their meals based on what they can afford or what they think is a fair price. Key staff are paid, but there's no goal to make a profit. Produce for the restaurants is grown in community urban gardens or collected from stores prior to being thrown away. All extra funds get funneled back into the restaurant.

Fernando has created a community-oriented business model based on integrity, trust, honesty, and shared humanity.

Practically everything about Lentil as Anything and The Inconvenience Store flies in the face of the traditional, profit-based business model.

So how do they stay in business? A question like that has to be asked with the business's goal in mind — not to make a steep profit but to create a cooperative community based on food and culture sharing. It's not about making money but rather about being able to stay open through community effort.

It comes back to the fundamental belief that we're all in this together.

"We call ourselves the human race, but this is not a race," said Fernando in his 2012 TED Talk. "This is not a competition. I prefer the term 'humankind.' It implies kindness. We share an affinity. There is a richness that awaits us and it relies on us, on our individual sense of leadership, on our ability to embrace, be open to each other. And all the answers to environmentalism, to the improvement of humanity, lies in this."

Putting people and our planet before profits may not be common, but high fives to Shanaka Fernando for proving that it's possible.

Watch Fernando describe his travels around the world that led him to his pay-as-you-feel model:

Starting a new business is hard, especially for veterans. This org makes it much easier.

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When Officer Kimberly Jung was looking for roadside bombs in Afghanistan, she couldn't help but notice a vicious cycle.

"It felt like every time we found one, a new one would take its place," Jung recalled in an interview with Bunker Labs.

She was a route clearance platoon leader, so it was a big part of her job. But constantly uncovering weapons of war made her wish they could interact with the land and its people in a more positive way.

She wasn't the only one who felt like this; several of her friends who served with her also saw the symbolism behind the seemingly unending activity. It was time to change how they related to Afghanistan.

When Jung returned to civilian life, she and her colleagues decided to start cultivating peace by working with Afghan farmers to harvest saffron.

Rumi (right) with her fellow co-founders. Photo via Bunker Labs/YouTube.

They co-founded a company called Rumi Spice in Chicago to help make the expensive and rare saffron spice more available in the states.

For them, it's not just about turning a profit. They have hired Afghan employees and created lasting partnerships with Afghan farmers to encourage a more healthy relationship with the war-torn nation.

"What we’re doing here is laying a sustainable foundation for peace through economic empowerment," Jung explained.

By working with Afghanistan in this way, Rumi Spice is helping to infuse economic prosperity back into a country that desperately needs the boost. This, in turn, helps the farmers think positively about American businesses that want them to maintain their seat in the world's marketplace.

As of last year, Rumi Spice has been able to export 5% of Afghanistan’s total saffron available for it. It's a huge leap for such a small business, especially because they're simultaneously strengthening a key link between Afghanistan and the Western world.

Their thriving business is largely possible due to assistance from Bunker Labs — a national nonprofit that empowers veterans to become leading entrepreneurs.

Photo via Bunker Labs.

Bunker Labs was founded by former veteran Todd Connor, whose own experience returning home from the Navy sparked this idea for an interactive support system for veterans interested in starting their own businesses.

"He realized that one of the main barriers to success was the resources, networks, and a connected ecosystem in which to support them," Becca Keaty, Chief Development Officer for Bunker Labs, explains in an email.

So that's exactly what Bunker Labs provides. It inspires and equips veterans through immersive workshops, active mentorships, and innovative programs both in-person and online via its Launch Lab Online. But perhaps most importantly, it helps them establish a tribe of fellow veterans who are also pursuing their business dreams.

Jung, in particular, has found that network incredibly helpful and motivating.

"Our biggest supporters have been other veterans," Jung said. "Being part of a veteran community has been key to our success."

Jung works with another veteran at a Bunker Lab. Photo via Bunker Labs/YouTube.

And she's far from alone. As of February 2018, Bunker Labs entrepreneurs have helped create 1,581 new jobs and generate $67,449,544 in revenue. What's more, the organization has headquarters in 22 major cities across the country, with a three-year goal of getting one in all 50 states, so those numbers will only continue to climb.

Thanks to brands like Macy's, that goal will likely be reached even sooner. As part of its July 4 Give Back campaign, if you donate $3 at checkout in stores or online, you'll receive 25% percent off your purchase, and a portion of your donation goes to Bunker Labs. Your donations will help them expand their programs, making them more accessible to a larger population of veterans.

It can be especially hard for veterans making the transition back to civilian life to set themselves up for success in business. According to Bunker Labs, while 25% of returning veterans want to be entrepreneurs, only 4% manage to do it because they don't know where to start. But now, with organizations like Bunker Labs in place, they can avoid a lot of that guesswork and turn to fellow veteran entrepreneurs for advice when they're feeling overwhelmed or looking for assistance.

Being in the military means never leaving someone behind. That sentiment doesn't expire when their uniforms are off.

To learn more about Bunker Labs, check out this video:

Salute those who serve by donating at Macy's to organizations that support veteran and military families from June 28th — July 8th.

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Heroes

Want to help the planet while shopping? Take a lesson from this teen designer.

Like a lot of 8-year-old girls, Maya Penn was all about fashion. Unlike most 8-year-old girls, however, she had an idea to change the industry rather than just buy from it.

With a dad who won NASA awards for solar energy projects and a mom who loved to garden, Maya was always encouraged to be eco-conscious. When she decided to start her own clothing line, she knew she wanted it to be as environmentally friendly as possible.

Of course, like any savvy businessperson, Maya recognized this meant doing a lot of research first.

"I did a lot of research about fashion and the environment and how the fashion industry has such a negative impact," Maya explains.

In fact, she learned the fashion industry is the second largest planet-wide polluter, right behind oil.

In order to shrink her clothing line's carbon footprint, Maya first began creating her own designs using vintage clothes she had around the house.

"I love vintage so much," says Maya. "Every piece has its own story to tell you."

It's also a great way to repurpose cool fashion, which means you're not using energy to make it or creating waste.

"I thought, let me try something different that won't create as much of a strain on the planet," Maya recalls.

Once she'd amassed a number of revitalized vintage pieces, Maya opened her own store on Etsy. It didn't take long for her to get noticed. After all, how many 8-year-olds are running a fashion line — and an eco-friendly one at that?

The buzz around her store snowballed, and by the time she was 10, Maya had been featured in a number of publications.

Maya in Essence Magazine. All photos via Maya Penn, used with permission.

Naturally, that led to a huge spike in sales, so she decided to start her own website. By herself.

Since she's a "bit of a techie," Maya decided to learn how to code and construct her own website. She called it Maya's Ideas. The end result was more than Maya could've ever hoped for.

Once it was clear she's a wunderkind of many talents, Maya was asked to speak at a number of tech organizations, including Google and IBM. She's also the youngest woman to give back-to-back TED Talks — in fact, her latest is one of TED’s official top 15 TEDWomen Talks of all time.

Mind you, this is all before she turned 20.

Despite all this early notoriety, Maya's not taking her eyes off her main goal — to offset the environmental impact of fashion. That's why she started consulting with major brands on eco-friendly practices.

The fashion industry is starting to move in an eco-friendly direction largely because consumers are becoming more and more conscientious. However, there's still an accessibility issue — either eco-friendly products aren't available locally, or they're too expensive for the average consumer. Maya is helping brands tackle this by showing them how she's made it work on the boutique level.

Along with the recycled vintage materials she initially used, Maya creates fashion pieces from 100% organic cotton, hemp, and bamboo. She's always working on fabric production methods to make her carbon footprint even smaller. What's more, she sends 10% of all her profits to local and global charities and environmental nonprofit organizations.

Needless to say, she's on the cutting edge of eco-fashion (pun intended).

And she hasn't stopped there. Maya also has an ongoing project where she designs eco-friendly sanitary pads for people in developing countries.

Maya's eco-friendly sanitary pads.

It's just one aspect of her nonprofit, Maya's Ideas 4 the Planet.

"Many [people] don’t have access to [sanitary pads]," Maya explains. "It prevents their ability to work and get an education for days out of every month." Not only are the pads organic and durable — they're washable and biodegradable.

Anyone else thinking this girl is a real-life superhero?

After working 10-plus years in eco-friendly fashion, Maya's still finding new ways to advocate for sustainability. But her mission is about more than the environment now.

The aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Photo Via Roosevelt Skerrit/Flickr.

"I think now more than ever people are starting to realize that environmental issues are human rights issues as well," explains Maya.

Climate change is already affecting the human race on a massive scale. Just this past year, there have been a monumental amount of catastrophic weather phenomena that devastated entire island chains, inspiring a new and terrifying term — climate refugees.

While that may sound overwhelming, thankfully there are brilliant young people out there like Maya who are working tirelessly to help clean up our act and slow the change.

That said, she can't do it alone.

The next time you want to pick up a new outfit, try looking for eco-friendly brands, or head to your local secondhand store and hunt for an awesome vintage piece. It's one fashion-forward way you can do your part to protect the world we call home.

Many Americans don’t have access to tampons and pads. Claire Coder is fixing that.

Anyone who has ever gotten their period at an inopportune time knows the scramble to find a menstrual product.

There's the “sneakily ask all co-workers for a tampon” move. Or the frantic search for a quarter to use at one of those vending machine-style boxes in some restrooms. (Though, let's be honest, they're rarely stocked.)

Entrepreneur Claire Coder found herself in this very predicament at a cisgender male-dominated business event in 2016. There weren’t exactly a bunch of people rushing to help when her period arrived, so she had to come up with a reason to leave the event early.

When she got home, tampon now acquired, she had a brilliant idea:

Toilet paper is offered for free — so why not tampons?

But why not?! Photo by Aunt Flow/Instagram, used with permission.

While Coder has easy access to menstrual products, many Americans just don’t have it that easy. Tampons and pads are rarely donated to homeless people. And those who rely on food stamps to get by can forget about assistance in this department — SNAP doesn't cover menstrual products.

In the spirit of giving tampons to people in need, Coder created Aunt Flow.

Photo by Aunt Flow/Instagram, used with permission.

Aunt Flow sells 100% organic cotton menstrual products to businesses so they can offer products for free to employees and guests.

And Coder says it’s working:

She’s worked with establishments of every size — from local coffee shops to companies like Viacom to colleges like Ohio and Brown Universities, respectively.

The goal is simple: To encourage companies to purchase more tampons and pads so that more menstrual products can be donated to people in need.

Aunt Flow donates one piece for every 10 pieces a business buys.

Aunt Flow donating to Dress for Success Columbus. There’s more where that came from! Photo courtesy of Claire Coder, used with permission.

Aunt Flow partners with local organizations who are already helping the community. Those organizations stretch from coast to coast, including the Mid-Ohio Food Bank, Dress for Success, Period Menstrual Movement, 1Girl, Tiger Pantry at the University of Missouri, Gracehaven, and I Support the Girls.

Coder wants to encourage positive menstrual education for young people, and often leads talks about the topic.

“When I was growing up, my health teacher handed me a ‘goodie bag’ with a tampon and pad,” she recalls, adding:

Coder talks #PeriodPositivity at Kent State University. Photo by Aunt Flow/Facebook, used with permission.

Coder has big goals: She hopes to reach 500,000 donated products in 2018. She’s excited about her business, but also about how things are changing in society.

California and Illinois have recently passed legislation requiring schools to stock freely accessible menstrual products — and Aunt Flow is actively working with schools to stay on top of things.

“I am working toward the day when I can be walking anywhere, suddenly get my period, and not feel frantic,” Coder said, “because I know that just down the road, a bathroom will be stocked with Aunt Flow’s products.”

Everybody with a period should be able to feel that way too.

Coder speaking to a packed room at the Columbus School for Girls. Photo courtesy of Claire Coder, used with permission.

Visit Aunt Flow for more information or to order products for your business.