As I write this morning, I’m looking out a grand, two-story floor to ceiling window overlooking the landscape of Cairo, Egypt while enjoying a delicious cup of coffee. Not only is this trip entirely paid for by my employer, I’m also being compensated for my time here, (albeit it minimally), for doing something I’m incredibly passionate about.

However less than stellar my present income, being able to run my own business virtually during my time here more than makes up for any losses. In other words, I’m a ridiculously lucky human being…

I’m living my American Dream – living and working on my own terms. Unfortunately, my good fortune is not the norm among my peers – at least according to Harvard’s Institute of Politics latest study. Of the 18- to 29- year olds surveyed, 48 percent reported the American Dream as “dead” for them.

 

[tweetthis]48 percent of #millennials think the American dream is dead. #americandream[/tweetthis]

 

Notable culprits include ever-rising student loan debt, soaring costs of living and stagnant wages – the backbone of seemingly every millennial story.

But I wanted to look beyond that backbone and flesh out the rest of the picture. So I took to the streets in this latest episode of #TalkingTaboo to find out more about the Millennial American Dream, how it differs from the traditional “Boomer” definition and what role money plays in making it (or not making it) happen.

Talking Taboo: Millennials, Money & The American Dream

 

 

I’d love to hear your thoughts on Millennials, Money and The American Dream in the comments, and/or on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Be sure to use the hashtag #talkingtaboo! And if you’re not yet subscribed to the YouTube channel, click here to stay up to date on all the Talking Taboo episodes still to come!

More on Talking Taboo …

44 percent of Americans report that a discussion of their personal finances is the most difficult conversation they can have – beating out hot-button topics like religion, health, politics and even death.

Unfortunately, this money taboo can have a severely negative impact on our quality of life. Without an open dialogue surrounding our finances, both financial needs and struggles are often left unaddressed – the resulting cost of which can be astronomical.

The stakes are high and the prevailing response of silence doesn’t serve any of us.

Let’s dive in and engage with our finances, not only privately on our own, but also publicly with one another.

Let’s start #talkingtaboo!

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