"Kids these days." Every time I hear that, I feel my temperature rise a few degrees. Kids these days. We are entitled, lazy and superficial. I hate those words. I refuse to let those labels define me or my generation. We are constantly surrounded by adults who pressure and judge us for making bold choices that they were too afraid or trapped to make when they were our age.

My last Uber driver, a retired lawyer living in Chicago with her wife, asked where I was going so early on a Saturday. I was heading to work to spend a few hours with clients in the office. She peeked into the rearview window and rolled her eyes at me. "You're allowed to have piercings at your office? Kids these days have it made." A calm but serious argument ensued for the rest of the trip.

She went on to complain about her daughter, who had recently quit her full-time job at a well-established advertising agency and moved to Colorado to start her own business. Her daughter left a job that could potentially land her a six figure salary and a guaranteed retirement. Instead she let it all go to pursue a more fulfilling life in Boulder. My Uber driver looked at me and laughed, isn't that so stupid? I laughed back at her. Of course not. What is wrong with wanting more out of life? Why is that something we're meant to feel ashamed of?

We've become labeled as the generation of slackers. If you were born in the early 80's to the mid-90s, you probably fall into this category. You've cursed under your breath when you hear older generations refer to you as "reckless" and "hipster" for avoiding commitment. You know it's not true. It's not commitment we fear. It's unhappiness and dissatifaction.

We're not entitled. We know what we deserve from life, and we've learned what to avoid. Who cares if we would rather spend our savings on a trip to Europe over a down payment on an expensive car? Why are we being judges for eating out and traveling instead of buying groceries and house?

We've watched our parents slave for decades under companies they despise, working mundane jobs that they hate so they can buy material things that waste away. We don't want to follow in their footsteps. We want to work for experiences rather than stuff.

Millennials see the value and opportunity in the world, and we won't settle for mediocrity in our lives. We have the ability to travel cheaper and quicker than our parents did. So we do it.

Every hours counts, and we need purpose in our daily clock-in, clock-out. We are not irresponsible for skipping from one career path to another. We are motivated, able and willing to seek out happiness in our jobs. If that means taking a break and putting ourselves first, then so be it.

We can be whatever we want to be.

If you think...

We are entitled.

We are greedy.

We are lazy.

We are lacking morales.

We are privileged.

We are self-obsessed.

We are irresponsible.

We are addicted.

We are listless.

Remember...

We are wanderers.

We are seekers.

We are travelers.

We are wanderlust.

We are hungry.

We are desire.

We are risk takers.

We are brave.

We are ambitious.

We are impulse.

We are change.

We are millennials.