Entitled

I was contacted to attend the FDC Young Designers' Awards 2015, with proceeds supporting The Angelman Syndrome. I arrived only to be informed that the event was running late; the promised break refreshments were a myth; and the catwalks went on for an eternity without the models themselves being excused between 7+ long hours of strutting in stilettos. The evening culminated with a belly rumble and a takeaway on the train home. To my surprise, I received correspondence from the organiser asking for the agreed post, so here it is; a lesson in entitlement. Ever since the viral LinkedIn open letter aptly titled 'Why Milleannials keep dumping you', millennials have been branded spoiled, entitled employees. However, I believe we are simply misunderstood. As third or second generation migrants, we have witnessed the hard work of our predecessors go unmerited. We have seen a complete disregard for passion in the workplace, in favour of man hours. And so, upon entry into the workforce, we developed a 'work hard, play hard' mindset, and bred a sense of self-worth. 

Turtleneck/ Poloneck : Warehouse | Dress :H&M

The Millennial generation are 75million strong, and were socialised with high expectations considering early years saw technological development at a more rapid rate in a decade than our ancestors had seen in their lifetime. So it would only make sense that we would spurt into adulthood with an abundance of self-confidence and belief of our high value. We have an inane need to constantly develop/ better ourselves, and thrive at the prospect of new challenges; the can-do generation. We run after our goals full-speed ahead, and only upon bumping our heads against adversity do we come face-to-face with the prospect of failure, one we haven't fully learned to handle/ deal with like our predecessors.

Private showcase of the designers' collections

Entitlement is an attitude of "I'm owed", characterized by a lack of gratitude or personal responsibility, thus fostering a blame culture. Western/ modern culture propagates these notions in us; L'oreal's infamous "because I'm worth it" ad campaign is a prime example. As a result, we are socialised to have a sense of being owed something for what we have done or a distinct trait we have. Entitlement breeds a selfish mindset only focusing on what we are owed, not what we can offer to others. When we allow these feelings to fester, others tend to fall short of our expectations, and we wind up angry, bitter, or resentful. This is a characteristic evident in myself, and most of my millennial peers. Whether its not landing that first job on time, or the hunt for bae lingering into its umpteenth year, we feel as though we are worthy of something and our lack of it is unfair. However, it is how we choose to handle this lack in our life that is under question. 

Designers' collections on the runway

7 signs you have a sense of entitlement:

1. You impose unrealistic demands on others & struggle to compromise

2. You tend to feel sorry for yourself if things don't work out exactly as you planned

3. You feel that you deserve greater, often at the expense of others

4. You see others as competition/ threats

5. You exhibit double standards 

6. You are a taker, more than you are a giver in relationships

7. People are often offended by what you do/ say

If you identify with one too many signs above, odds are, you feel entitled. It's important to remember, however, that this doesn't mar you permanently. We ALL have flaws, and developing better self-awareness is the first step to self-actualisation. Without acknowledging the impact of your thoughts, feelings, speech and actions, you won't progress and grow in life.

Swarovski Studs : Red Carpet Jewellers | Boots : Dorothy Perkins | Watch : Guess

Lolli wears Suit, Shoes and Cami : ASOS 

So you see from the pictures, the collections were well worth attendance. The atmosphere (at the start, at least) was electric. Soon, however, all that was tempered by our ill treatment and the clear disregard of the organisers for our wellbeing. I'm of the school of thought that all are deserving of equal treatment. Equal exposure (the cause/event and the bloggers are benefiting from this partnership) is no excuse for such treatment. It's clear there's no age restriction on feeling entitled. It's a trait worth shedding off and here are 7 active steps to combat your sense of entitlement & live a balanced life:

1. Identify skewed expectations, beliefs and ideals

2. Treat others how you would like to be treated

3. Demonstrate, rather than demand, value

4. Before making demands, make an effort

5. Practice forgiveness, and accept people for who they are

6. Broaden your mindset by developing your sense of compassion & empathy

7. Express gratitude and celebrate others

“It is easy, when you are young, to believe that what you desire is no less than what you deserve" John Krakauer