The Generation X Files

One of the best things about doing this blog is the people I’ve met along the way.

The tagline of my site reads, “Is there still hope for humanity? I want to believe….”.

And back when I started this, I was already having my doubts.

But, that was almost six months ago (that can’t be right! Six months!? Easter?! Already?! Christmas was only about a month ago! Nothing is going to convince me CERN hasn’t sped up time! It’s not just because I’m getting old(er)!).

I still remember writing that first post. I’d planned to keep my blog anonymous and just test the waters. It had been a long time since I’d written anything and I felt very out of practice.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure if anyone would even find my blog, let alone read it. When I got my first “likes”, I’ll be honest with you, I was a little suspicious.

Not in a bad way. I just thought maybe WordPress did a sort of mentorship thing. Where grown-up, “proper” authors would be notified of “newbies” and take them under their wing. (It’s called the Generation X files for a reason lol! I question everything!) 🔍👀

It didn’t take long to realise that’s not an actual feature. People had actually found me and….stuck around! Some of you have even been here right from the start (Thank you!! You’re all, officially, Gen XIP’s™️ 😉).

I’m also really grateful to everyone who takes their time to comment. It’s my favourite part.

Although I’m writing the posts, I want them to be interactive. For me, they’re just the kick-off, to spark the conversation. I love our chats in the comments sections.

That’s where I’ve got to know some of you best as each interaction leads to another.

I’ve even been lucky enough to make a new, long-distance friend! One of those brilliant, “grown up” writers I was talking about!✍️👱😀

That’s better than even I could have imagined!

It’s the ultimate compliment. An unexpected delight!

Far more than I ever expected when I created this account!

At the time, I was sick of social media and wanted to have real conversations with humans again. I’d grown tired of algorithmically-curated streams of rage-baiting bots.

I set out to try to make a real connection and boy, am I glad that I did! Because, along the way, my faith in humanity is being restored, little by little.

Each “like” feels like I’ve scored a bullseye. Whenever someone subscribes, it’s like hitting the jackpot!

It’s a weird feeling of confirmation and affirmation all at once.

Like a supportive “You can do this!” while also agreeing “Yes, that’s true.”

Mix that together with our chats in the comments and it’s a heady virtual cocktail! (A good one. It makes you feel light and giggly and doesn’t give you a hangover!)

It’s the sense of community I was dreaming of when I wrote my early post, The Self Preservation Society.

I’m finding the people I was hoping to find. And there’s more of “us” than I thought! I’m not the only one who feels like this after all!

It’s made me feel like, maybe, it’s okay to not fit seamlessly into modern society. That I’m not the only piece trying to force myself into the wrong jigsaw puzzle!

I found people who gave me the courage to be myself – in all my rambling glory! 😉

For that, I can’t thank you enough!

I don’t really know how to express my gratitude. A quick search suggested, “writing a handwritten note, giving a small, personalized gift, or performing a random act of kindness.”

That last option is probably the most “doable”. It’s something I try to do already, in my everyday life.

I can’t afford to make any grand gestures. Ideally, it’s something free like giving someone a compliment.

An instant, science-backed mood booster that costs absolutely nothing? What’s not to like about that?

But, it’s another one of those things that’s become more…..complicated nowadays. We’re getting more reluctant to give them and don’t know how to receive them!

It’s led to men often remembering compliments for years (sometimes even a lifetime!!) due to the scarcity of receiving them!

A genuine compliment is a quick, free, and incredibly easy way to show kindness. They make (almost) everyone feel better!

That feeling often creates a “ripple effect”, where the recipient is more likely to pass on kindness to others.

I like the idea of that….small ripples of happiness going out into the world….

In physics, when a large number of small waves or ripples converge and overlap, they undergo a phenomenon known as wave interference.

When their crests and troughs align, they undergo constructive interference, where their individual energies and amplitudes combine to form a much larger wave.

That’s kinda what I’m trying to do. Throw my small stone and make a ripple. Converge with all the others and make a wave.

So, here is my small ‘thank you’ to all of you.

Let’s keep making those ripples! Go out and give that one genuine compliment you’ve been holding back, I double dare you!

Let’s see if we can’t align our crests and troughs to create a wave of humanity that even the algorithms can’t ignore!

After all, if six months of blogging has taught me anything, it’s that we aren’t just shouting into the void….we’re finding each other. And together, we’re already making quite a splash!

Citizen Jane x ✌

Happy Easter, to my fellow citizens and friends 🐣🐰🌷

p.s. I am including a bonus video below this R.E.M. one to demonstrate how much compliments can make people’s day! As always, let me know what you think in the comments below 👀 👇