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Millennials Are Better Than Boomers When It Comes to Health and Wellness

Did you know that the millennial generation’s approach to health and wellness is much better than that of boomers or seniors?

According to statistics the Millennial generation is reaching a tipping point at 84.6 million strong which makes them the largest living generation. And with $1.4 trillion in spending power, they’re just entering their prime consumption years and because of this power, Millennials are on every brands’ radar.
However, they are not consuming information as boomers or seniors have done in the past, like watching television with nonstop commercials. Advertisements for medications, prescription drugs, and treatments every 13 minutes.

Did you know that on average, you can watch television for an hour and within that hour will view approximately 13 minutes of commercials and most of them, depending on the time of day or channel, will be trying to convince you that if you have some sort of medical condition that you need a drug or medication for…and oh by the way….the side effects will cause another medical condition that you will need another med for…it becomes a vicious cycle.
One thing that distinguishes millennials is their concern for health and wellness, even at their relatively young age. The websiteWomen’s Marketing offers ten insights into the Millennial mindset when it comes to healthy living.

Fact #1

With the exception of family, millennials value health above all else. In a recent study, 79% said that family was important in their lives, followed by health and wellness at 53%, friends (39%), spirituality (31%), and work and career (27%).

Fact #2

Nearly half consider healthy eating a lifestyle choice as opposed to a goal-driven diet.

Fact #3

A full 84% exercise at least once per week, and nearly half feel that exercise is their passion.

Fact #4

They are earning less than older generations, but spend more on health and fitness.

Fact #5

They’re more likely to do yoga, meditate, and turn to natural therapies than older generations.

Fact #6

They believe health is the gateway to success—9 in 10 “pursue good health” so they can be successful in other areas of life.

Fact #7

Health and wellness apps are helping to fuel mobile growth and Millennials are fueling the demand for health-related apps.

Fact #8

Millennials share health info with their friends and followers. In fact, 35% share health news through social media and text, and 29% report sharing health info on websites and community boards, and through email.

Fact #9

Health goals are motivated by a desire to live long, healthy lives, to improve the quality of their lives, and to reduce stress and feel happy.

Fact #10

Millennials get their health information from a variety of websites and sources. Top sources include general health sites, social media, magazine websites, fitness sites, and holistic wellness websites.

So marketers from health and wellness to apparel and vitamin supplements have an opportunity to appeal to the millennial consumer by crafting advertising messages that appeal to their core values of good health, family, and physical fitness.

Millennials are one of the most health-focused generations in decades. Whether they’re training to run a marathon, choosing healthy food options at lunch, or making the decision to quit smoking, this generation is paying attention to positive and healthy habits.

Most millennials look at their workplace as an extension of their lives rather than something they just clock into, so it’s natural they would also want to make sure it’s a healthy environment.   Factors that appeal to them, such as exercise rooms or agile or mobile are worthwhile incentives, and not only will the office be a better place to come to each day, it also makes the company more attractive to potential hires.  Agile furniture with movable desks and walls are perks for millennials as opposed to the heavy leather chairs and bulky mahogany desks.

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More and more successful companies are beginning to implement health and wellness programs that appeal to the Millennial Generation, as well as benefit employees of all ages. But when it comes to making sure a corporate wellness program hits all the right buttons for talented millennials, the workplace should look into making it a healthy environment.

meditation SMLXL

 

Unlike the microwave oven, millennials are not seeking instant gratification when it comes to health and wellness.  Therefore, because many are spending more time in the office now more than ever they want some freedom and flexibility to do more than just sit in a cubicle. Ideally, they want to stay healthy rather than sedentary, and they’d prefer to incorporate mindful living in the workplace.

Because millennials love sharing on Social Media keeps up the competition – using a Fitbit or Smartphone helps to keep them on track.  Water cooler chatter has been replaced with achieving the daily 10,000 steps around the office.  85 percent of millennials have a mobile phone, and 75 percent have at least one social media profile demonstrating the value millennials place on having meaningful interactions with their peers.

With more and more Millennials creating long-term friendships with their colleagues, it’s important for them to integrate parts of their active lifestyle with the social aspect of their job making their approach to health and wellness better than ours.

 

How do you keep your mind and body healthy?

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Encore Entrepreneurs – Pursuing Passions into Retirement

The millennial generation may be the largest living generation, however, there still is a large number of boomers who are turning their interests, hobbies or skills into a small business. These Encore Entrepreneurs, whether they are pursuing it now as a side hustle or are positioning themselves for a second act after retirement, this is the best time to explore the many possibilities.
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With so many resources available whether their target market is global or just in the neighborhood, the WBC, SBA, SCORE, AARP and DFLI can help them at every stage of the game when it comes to turning their entrepreneurial dream into a thriving business.
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Listen in as I talk to Dr. Juanita Foster, who not yet is a boomer, however, she is one who knows that you can pursue your passion and start a business no matter your age.

 

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Wayback Wednesday – Sounds of the 60’s

Wayback Wednesday – Sights, Sounds, and Styles of the 60’s
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Last week we talked about some of the Fashions of the 60’s, which included Bell Bottoms, Platforms Shoes, African and Indian Prints, Tie Dye, Bare Feet, and Leather Sandals.  With this series, I will be looping back to the fashion, but today I am focusing in on theSounds of the 60’s.
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Not just the types of music we listened to but how we listened to it.  Some of you may be surprised to learn that I still have in my possession all of the formats that were once very popular, including8-Track Tapes, Cassette Tapes, Vinyl Records, and Albums.
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8-Track Tapes:
According to Recording-History.org
The Eight Track tape recording system was popular from 1965 to the late 1970s. While today it has become an icon of obsolescence, it was a great commercial success and paved the way for all sorts of innovations in portable listening.
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The eight track tape consisted of an endless loop of standard 1/4-inch magnetic tape, housed in a plastic cartridge. On the tape were eight parallel soundtracks, corresponding to four stereo programs.
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For many people old enough to have owned an eight-track system, it is a technology associated with the automobile and in-car listening. Ironically, however, it was first developed not by the auto industry, but by a leading aircraft manufacturer: the Learjet Corporation.
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I found these in the attic of my uncle’s home after he died in 1992.  I didn’t want to discard them, so they are kept in the garage where once upon a time we played them in our cars.
Yep, fifty years ago, Ford installed their first automobile 8-track players, in its 1966 Mustang, Thunderbird and Lincoln models.
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Cassette Tapes:
According to Wikipedia:
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The Compact Cassette or Musicassette (MC), also commonly called cassette tape, audio cassette, or simply tape or cassette is an analog magnetic tape recording format for audio recording and playback. It was released by Philips in 1962, having been developed in Hasselt, Belgium.
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Compact cassettes come in two forms, either already containing content as a pre-recorded cassette, or as a fully recordable “blank” cassette. It was designed originally for dictation machines, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel tape recording in most non-professional applications.
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Its uses ranged from portable audio to home recording to data storage for early microcomputers. The first cassette player (although mono) designed for use in car dashes was introduced in 1968. Between the early 1970s and the early 2000s, the cassette was one of the two most common formats for prerecorded music, first alongside the LP record and later the compact disc (CD).
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I still remember getting my first cassette player and using the mic to record into it.  My sister and I would spend hours singing silly songs and then play them back to the delight of my grandmother.  She would bring the cassette recorder to our school and have someone record our holiday concerts or to church to record the choir’s Jubilees.
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We were able to take it outside to play pre-recorded songs, flipping the tape over when it ended and of course, making mixed tapes was very popular in the 80’s.  I also remember answering machines with cassettes tapes and as did alarm clocks….see I still have one sitting on my nightstand – I know, I need to replace it with a Google Home. but there’s something nostalgic about it!
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Music always filled our apartment when the family was visiting and the sounds of the 60’s included R&B and Soul with Motown taking the top spot. Below is an actual picture of The Four Tops performing in our town of New Rochelle, NY in 1967.

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Four Tops performing in New Rochelle in 1967 MLXLS

 Motown’s the Four Tops performing in New Rochelle, New York, 1967

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Motown Logo SMLXL

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The Detroit-based Motown label developed as a pop-influenced answer to soul music. The label had a long run of No. 1 U.S. hit singles in 1961 with “Please Mr. Postman” by the Marvelettes.

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Notable Motown acts included the Supremes, the Miracles, the Temptations, the Four Tops, Martha and the Vandellas, Marvin Gaye and the Jackson Five, who debuted in 1969.

  • Soul music developed popularity throughout the decade, led by Sam Cooke, James Brown and Otis Redding, among many others.
  • Funk begins later in the decade with James Brown and Sly & the Family Stone having early hits.
  • You Keep Me Hanging On uses a fast tempo which would prove innovative in the development of disco music.
  • Aretha Franklin’s 1967 recordings, such as “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)”, “Respect” (originally sung by Otis Redding), and “Do Right Woman-Do Right Man”, are considered the apogee of the soul genre, and were among its most commercially successful productions.
Legends of Motown SMXLL
 
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The next Wayback Wednesday Sounds of the 60’s will be vinyl records 45’s / 33’s and albums because there was nothing better than spending hours on a Saturday morning at a local record shop.  Which is why there seems to be a resurgence of making and distributing vinyl records again.

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 For the younger generations today who can literally take their music anywhere, it may be hard for them to imagine a time when that wasn’t possible.  
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What were your favorite sounds of the 60’s?
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Wayback Wednesday – Sights, Sounds and Styles of the 60’s

Wayback Wednesday ~ Fashions of the 60’s

I am a proud Boomer, born on September 20, 1961.  The 60’s was the decade known for free love, drugs, Go-Go Girls, Rock and Roll and the Vietnam War.

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Americans were fighting for Civil Rights, integration and freedom. Hippies, Birth Control, and The Peace Corp headlined the news. Democrat John F. Kennedy won the U.S. Presidential Election after defeating Republican Richard Nixon. Kennedy became the first president and was the youngest person to have been elected to the highest office at the time.

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Dr. King, Malcolm X and President Kennedy all were assassinated in the 60’s.

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We were looking skyward with space explorations and almost went to war with the Cuban Missile Crisis.  We tried to escape the real world by watching the ‘boob tube” with shows like The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits and The Beverly Hillbillies.

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The minimum wage was a $1.00 per hour and the price of gas was .31 cents per gallon.  Natural hair, Afros, Crew Cuts, and of course the vibrant, bold and colorful world of fashion.

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Clothing styles have always mirrored the attitudes of the times and this was certainly true of fashion in the 1960s. The decade was marked by sweeping social change and the domination of youth culture – baby boomers were growing up and demanded their own fashion style.

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Designers responded with a much more liberal, daring approach to fashion, boasting colorful fabrics and bold designs.Clothing broke with social traditions that dictated what could be worn when and by whom.

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In the past, clothing attire had been divided into ‘formal’ and ‘casual’ wear, and separations were made between the styles of clothing worn by men and women. The 1960s, however, there were more unisex clothing such as dungarees (denim jeans), which were worn by both sexes.

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I was too young to fully understand it all but do remember that I loved the vibrant colors and styles of the ’60’s, the bell bottoms, platform shoes, neon colors, color blocking and pattern mixing…hey, isn’t that still the style of today?

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Clothing styles and fabrics were inspired by non-Western cultures, they were more Indian and African prints. Natural fabrics and tie-dyed and paisley prints were also popular.

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African inspired look SMLXL

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Many people created their own clothing with accessories and personal items such as purses and bags decorated with beads and fringes. Bare feet or leather sandals were typical hippie fashion and flowers and peace signs became symbols of the movement.

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Let’s Chat: what is your favorite blast from the past fashion trend or Way Back When style?

I love the 60's SLXLM