We are the found generations. Age groups have integrated. No more baby boomers, Generation Y, Millennials, Zommers, etc. We’ve morphed into Generation XYZ: a convergence of generations, a merging of divergent ideas, a basking in diversity, and a true respect for one another. Let’s talk.

As grand as Gen XYZ is, we’ve lost the personal touch, opting instead for cyber chatter. We’ve lost our individuality, we’ve lost our curiosity, settling instead for what social and mainstream media feeds us. But most alarmingly, we’ve lost our zest for life. Let’s find it again, let’s become the found generations. The realized generations. The talking generations. The jubilant generations. The collectively grand generations.

To start enjoying life again, we must first define who we are. What defines my proposed Generation XYZ? We’re tech- and web-savvy. Toddlers and seniors alike are using technology to the fullest. Gen XYZ has become more family oriented. We’ve become more ambitious, in a good way. We’ve become team players. We’re social advocates. And above all, Gen XYZ likes to love and be loved.

But with all that good, with this unprecedented merging of three generations, we still have foes two adversaries that are eroding our humanity: unrestrained technology and the marketing monster. Can we defeat our antagonists? Yes, we can. But how?

First and foremost, we must reawaken our penchant for reading. We ought to start picking up books, even if they’re eBooks or audio books. We need to get away from television and social media, just for bit. Only through reading, and occasionally stepping away from technology, can we start to find ourselves again.

With that said, how do we start enjoying our lives again? How do we personify Gen XYZ, honed for enjoyment and pleasure? To start, our default state must be gratitude, rain or shine. Then, we must be ourselves. Embracing our distinctiveness, we need to find what gives us pleasure and then pursue those pleasures. We should find that it’s good to be a little “extra” every now and then, without being overly and all-the-time extravagant.

Then, we must accept that there are enough hours in a day: eight hours for work, eight hours for play, and eight hours for sleep. Relaxation need not be confined to a single hour. We can enjoy lazy Sundays. We can learn to “log off” from technology occasionally. And it’s acceptable to be alone every now and then, to spend time alone to find and appreciate ourselves.

We must embrace the power of laughter, smiling, and being silly. We need to keep things simple, to get rid of all the clutter, and shun materialism over existentialism. And what better way to exist than engulfed in romance, love, and passion?

We need to spend more time with family: honoring our parents, spending time with our siblings, and basking in our children. We should embrace life’s seasons and learn to thrive in all of them: youth, mid-life, and the golden years.

Why not enjoy a moveable feast, a memorable meal, every day? We also need to explore our planet and travel as often as we can. We must learn to “chill,” to take things easier and not be so reactive. We must take care of our minds, bodies, and souls. And our mental health, which is often overlooked, must be tip-top as well. To enjoy life at its finest, we must slay our dragons, overcome our weaknesses, so nothing can hold us back from being exceptional.

Gen XYZ’s quest must be to spread kindness. We should listen more than we speak. We should embrace the power of vision, of manifesting our desires, so that the universe can fulfill them. We must find strength in tough times, like pandemics, and learn to make the best of hardships. Gen XYZ must embrace diversity and crush the racism that is poisoning our collective souls. We should learn from our elders, and our elders must be energized by our youth. We need to recognize the supremacy of always being truthful and of keeping promises.

And finally, it’s paramount that we help and inspire people each and every day. Just a simply hello and smile to others is a recognition of our shared humanity, a kind of big collective bear hug.

By doing some, or all, of these things, not only will we start enjoying life again, but our world can become utopian. Until we talk again, stay happy and healthy, my friend.

Excerpt from Art Rios’ upcoming book Start Enjoying Life Again, available in 2022!