Millennials: "The Big-Dreaming Generation!"

I often ask myself, "Where did I get my big-dreaming attitude?" Is it all the training I've had in self-development or is it part of my generational package? Though it's probably a combination of the two, many cultural factors have made Millennials big dreamers. Here are a few:

1. We got awards just for participating!
No matter what the event, from soccer games to speech contests to swim meets, our competitive, multi-tasking generation was always given the Golden Star just for showing up! My favorite award of all: Honorable Mention! I remember getting the Honorable Mention award for "not quite making the conference soccer team" when I was a senior in high school. Though I accepted the award gracefully, the over-acknowledgement was quite transparent even at the time!
2. We were coddled and pampered and spoiled by our parents!
This one is hard for me to admit because my parents weren't overtly schmitten by my sister and I, but I have to say, life was pretty good for us. My mom tried to be "hard" on us, passing on the lessons she learned from her Depression Era parents, and though she was s strict disciplinarian, we usually got our way. One memory that really stands out for me is getting presents on my sister's birthday! I now find that completely hilarious! My mom told me just the other day that it was a tradition started by my grandmothers that she wasn't particularly crazy about. She played along though and up until I was 18, I got presents for mine and my sister's birthdays!
3. We rarely heard the word "No!"
My mom and I have talked about this one several times. I can't figure out if I didn't hear "no" because I knew when and when not to ask or if my parents really weren't nay-sayers. I got guilt- tripped every once in awhile for 'wanting, needing and having to have' all the time, but I rarely heard the word "no." When I wanted some new clothes or a new gadget, the answer was yes. When I needed to be taxied to one of a million extracurricular activities the answer was yes! When I wanted to go on the high school trip to Greece, the answer was yes. When I wanted to study abroad for a year in college, the answer was yes. My parents always found a way to make things happen for me. Who knows the struggles they faced in the process, but that "yes" attitude certainly helped create my "I can do it" mentality!
4. We grew up in a very child-centered era
No other generation had ever had so much attention! We grew up with children's movies, children's music, children's magazines, children's snacks, children's medicine, children's furniture, children's televisions. You name it! The children's market ballooned when I was a kid. We became the center of attention not only in our own homes and schools but also in the media. Stories about children like Jon Bennet Ramsey and Elian Gonzalez overpowered the news and the hearts of Americans for weeks upon weeks.
5. We love the challenge of thinking, dreaming and acting big! Because we are so tech-savvy, fast-paced and impatient, the worst thing we can be is bored! In fact, if we aren't challenged, we check out! Bye-bye! Thinking, dreaming and acting big creates the high level of challenge that keeps us going. Don't get me wrong, sometimes we get in over our heads and have to take a step back, but that's part of our generational karma and the lesson we have to learn in our pursuit to take on the world with our lively ideals.

Get ready because we aren't going anywhere! By 2010 the Millennials will outnumber the Boomers as the largest American population. Not only will our big-dreaming impact our lives as Gen Y, but yours as well. Dream on!!