Of Strawberries and Snowflakes…

If you don’t know, strawberries and snowflakes are labels given to the generation that turned adults around 2010 and beyond, describing them as overly sensitive and easily offended. Why those terms? Well, strawberries bruise easily while snowflakes break apart.

But really, it can be from any generation though it’s more apparently lately with the whole cancel culture. And the whole idea of quitting at first sight of adversity wasn’t something so common before where people just stuck it out. Quitting just because “it’s too hard” didn’t seem like an acceptable reason before.

Those from this label are also very big on political correctness, liberty, inclusiveness amongst many other things. But funny how for a generation of people who are big on liberty and freedom of speech, they seem quite intolerant to opposing opinions and are often seen getting angry on Twitter. In 2017, a U.S Marketing Company event created a snowflake test to weed out overly sensitive individuals in their recruitment process.

Being overly sensitive will definitely take its toll on you the longer you are in the workplace. Criticism received at the workplace is almost NEVER personal but is in fact, necessary to help you identify your flaws and in turn improve on them. Because let’s face it, if you don’t know what’s wrong with the way you’re doing things, you’ll never know how to improve and a good colleague will tell you where you can improve.

Here’s how to not be a snowflake!

1. Not everything is an attack. Learn to accept criticism from those around you and use it to your advantage. After all, criticism is worth more than compliments.

2. Even if it is an attack, so what? Is this person someone important in your life? Will this person’s opinion about you have an effect on your life’s trajectory? If your answers are no then you should probably stop wasting your time pondering on what was said. If your answers are yes, then maybe you should look in depth into what was said.

3. People will have different opinions. And it’s perfectly fine! Embrace the fact that we can still tolerate and get along with people even though we share differing opinions on subjects.

4. What people say online isn’t really worth your time. There’s no need to scroll through Twitter and get upset at what people are saying. Like at all.

What you should do instead? Adopt a thick skin and strong mental fortitude. Throughout your life and even more so your career, you’re bound to meet people you don’t like and people who are more blunt and sometimes even rude. Don’t let this deter you from reaching your goals or even slow you down one bit.

1. Understand that not everyone needs to like you.

2. Don't take things personally.

3. Some people will not agree with your opinions and that's normal!