The proverbial box that we are provided to fit in from the moment we are born and yet very few actually fit.
The world is changing because the current working generations are realizing that they can shape and size their own box that truly fits them but we are not looking at changing this for the next generation, why?
The Proverbial Box
The moment we are born we are expected to do certain things, act certain ways, be certain things based on some ideal of who everyone should be. Not only is it unproductive and unreasonable to predetermine these things for someone, the most ridiculous part is that those expectations (the box) is the same for each person. With all the technology and intelligence in this world it astonishes me that it has yet to be figured out that it is not one box fits all and it is not up to society to make the boxes for each person. It is the person who should make their own box.
The Shift
COVID has brought some benefit to this world and one of the important ones is the shift in ideals and what is important for many. People are realizing they do not have to fit in to the middle class, blue collar box anymore.
A large amount of people have started realizing that box does not serve me and I am going to make my own box that fits me better. This is great and I think that it is a shift that was needed as we all have been running the proverbial rat race with no inherent winnings in the end other then a poor sense of self and at best having enough to live a decent retirement if you make it that far.
So lets keep this going, however we also need to look at the next generation.
The Next Generation
So I am included in 'the Shift', however it started before COVID for different reasons but it took a lot of self awareness to realize I had put myself in the box that I was provided without looking at the fact that it doesn't actually fit.
Now this box was not given to me when I started in the work force, not when I was in University, not even when I was in High School. This is a box that was given to me when I was born. The moment you take your first breath of air there are expectations placed on you. Expectations of when and how you develop, how you deal with emotions, how you interact with others, how you look, etc...
Do not get me wrong there are some things like how you treat others that have to follow guidelines or you cannot live in a community, but how you learn that is different for each. I mean there are many who do not truly treat others well but because they fit the rest of the boxes then they feel like they are great beings.
I think their is one box that needs to be the same for all and that is kindness and acceptance. Other then that box all others are different for each, but we need to start living that and teaching the next generation that.
Why are we not teach them from our mistakes? Why is my child still expected to learn at the same pace of the other children? Why are girls still expected to do and be certain things and boys others? Why are we not changing this?
Lets remove the boxes, lets recognize that every child/being is different. They learn at different paces, they excel is different things and what they are passionate about is different for each. Lets allow this! Instead of placing them in the box and saying you need to conform, lets show them to find their own way and and build their own box which will only benefit them providing them with better self awareness. We have to remove the hurdle of different is bad, as much as we hear about all the movements for different groups it needs to happen on a level that accepts all differences from physical, economical, social, mental, etc...
Lets just accept the person and stop worrying about those characteristics, stop need for labelling and just give unconditional acceptance. These differences is what makes the human race so great and just because some one learns at a slower pace does not mean they are not smart, or someone has a 'delay' does not mean they are any less then the person beside them. In my experience those are often the smartest and most impactful people.
The shift is happening in the work age group but the parents in the group still want their children to fit the proverbial box. Lets change this and empower our children to make their own box now so they do not have to live a life that does not fit them at all. Lets have them learn from out mistakes if not it will continue to be perpetuated.
Other then Kindness and Acceptances, lets remove every proverbial box society has created and give the next generation the material to make their own box that truly fits them!
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