Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Oct 06, 2025

A millennial therapist says this is the No. 1 gift for young people-and it's not money

A millennial therapist says this is the No. 1 gift for young people-and it's not money

A therapist asked her millennial patients what's on their holiday wish list this year. Here's what they said -and why it makes perfect sense.

Having been a millennial therapist for the past six years, I often hear people complain about how difficult it is to shop for a generation that seems to want -but already has -everything.

So for the past couple of months, I’ve been asking my 20- and 30-something-year-old patients about what’s on their wish list this year. I’ve gotten a variety of responses -money, an Apple Watch, AirPods, gift cards, essential oils, a plane ticket to Bali.

But there’s one surprising item that kept coming up: a planner.


Why it’s the perfect millennial gift

I know, I know. A planner? Really?! Isn’t that so ... cliche?

But hear me out: After countless conversations with millennials, I’ve found that what young people struggle with the most is having to choose from too many options: “I have too many choices. Which should I choose? Too many things to do. What should I prioritize? I’m worried I’ll make all the wrong decisions.”

Yes, decision fatigue is a real thing, especially in a world that overloads us with information and puts an immense pressure on us to succeed. Trying to do the right thing or attempting to do everything all at once can be stressful, overwhelming and often lead to burnout.

This is where the planner comes in, and I’m not talking about the type that only allows you to jot down birthday reminders and every single task you think you need to complete. A planner is most effective when it’s used to create order, direction and clarity about your goals and what you really want to accomplish.

For millennials, it’s the perfect tool to help untangle the complex mess of modern life.


Paper planners are still relevant

In the age of advanced technology, one might think that paper planners would have gone extinct by now. But industry research firm NPD reported that planner sales in the US increased by more than $50 million from 2016 to 2017, from $290.7 million to $344.1 million.

For millennials, [a planner] is the perfect tool to help untangle the complex mess of modern life.
Furthermore, studies have found that the act of writing things down can have a calming effect — the kind of relief you don’t get when you’re typing things in the notes section of your smartphone (while a text message notification rolls down from the top of the screen).

A millennial patient of mine acknowledged that, as a millennial, he might not seem like the “paper planner” type. But he’s actually been using one since grade school. “It’s not just about scheduling meetings and appointments. It’s about self-improvement,” he told me. “If I’m having a bad day, I can open it tomorrow and see it as a chance to start over.”

One female in her early-30s uses her planner to practice self-care; she schedules in “me time” several times a month. The sections to write down her personal goals and weekly expenses “are also ways to keep track of my life,” she said.


Picking the right planner

Thoughtfulness and personalization is key, especially if you want to emphasize the fact that you care about the giftee and want to see them succeed.

There are a variety of ways to do this. You can pencil in words of encouragement, like a quote from their favorite author or movie, for example. Last year, a friend of mine gifted planners to his team of millennial employees. In each planner, he scheduled a one-on-one coffee lunch to catch up with the person.

Here are some of my favorite 2020 planners to give to millennials this year:

1. My PA Planner ($39)

I love this planner’s daily health and wellness checker, which helps you stay on top of your health and fitness goals.

Favorite features:

Comes with a one-year subscription to MY PA’s private Facebook community (for ongoing support, accountability, tips and networking)
Monthly gratitude journal
Idea and inspiration vault


2. kikki.K B6 Personal Planner ($45)

This stylish planner comes in a vegan-friendly, croc-textured design and has a secure zip closure with internal pockets to keep all your important documents safe.

Ringed binding (so you can refill the pages and use it again next year)
Weekly tabs and dividers
Blank notepad for journaling


3. Daily Passion Planner ($35)

This planner includes a Passion Roadmap section for you to define your short- and long-term goals and break them down into smaller, actionable steps.

Lots of fun sections for journaling (Good Things That Happened, Space of Infinite Possibility, Monthly Reflections)
For each planner sold, $1 benefits American Forests, a non-profit that works to restore threatened forest ecosystems
Inspirational quotes


4. STARTplanner Hustle Weekly Planner ($62)

This one can double as a financial planner, thanks to a comprehensive section where you can break down your expenses (e.g., transportation, insurance, utilities, TV, Internet, food, phone, health, entertainment).

Financial overview and goals section
Vacation planner (packing lists, attractions, restaurants, things to do and buy)
The whimsical design adds a nice touch

5. Workspacery Refresh Weekly Planner ($39.95)

To make your giftee feel extra special, you can customize this planner with a name, company name, short phrase or fun quote (up to 14 characters per line).

Gratitude notes section
Strategic goal-planning framework
Intentional space highlighting weekly action steps


6. Dailygreatness Vagami Self-Leadership Planner ($99)

This planner is reusable and made of vegan leather, so you can save money and the planet.

Self-leadership focused questions
Comprehensive goal-planning system
Weekly, quarterly and yearly growth check-ins


7. MochiThings Planner S ($22.95)

This compact planner comes in a variety of beautiful colors and includes yearly, monthly and weekly planning sections.

Favorite features:

Small and portable (fits anywhere)
Attached bookmarks, pockets and even a pen holder
398 pages of dated daily note pages
Tess Brigham is a San Francisco-based psychotherapist and certified life coach. She has more than 10 years of experience in the field and primarily works with millennials and millennial parents.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
France Names New Government Amid Political Crisis
Trump Stands Firm in Shutdown Showdown and Declares War on Drug Cartels — Turning Crisis into Opportunity
Surge of U.S. Billionaires Transforms London’s Peninsula Apartments into Ultra-Luxury Stronghold
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Jeff Bezos Calls AI Surge a ‘Good’ Bubble, Urges Focus on Lasting Innovation
Japan’s Ruling Party Chooses Sanae Takaichi, Clearing Path to First Female Prime Minister
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ Launch Extends Billion-Dollar Empire
Trump Administration Launches “TrumpRx” Plan to Enable Direct Drug Sales at Deep Discounts
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
FBI Removes Agents Who Kneeled at 2020 Protest, Citing Breach of Professional Conduct
Trump Alleges ‘Triple Sabotage’ at United Nations After Escalator and Teleprompter Failures
Shock in France: 5 Years in Prison for Former President Nicolas Sarkozy
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
BNP Paribas Abandons Ban on 'Controversial Weapons' Financing Amid Europe’s Defence Push
Typhoon Ragasa Leaves Trail of Destruction Across East Asia Before Making Landfall in China
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Big Banks Rebuild in Hong Kong as Deal Volume Surges
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Arnault Denounces Proposed Wealth Tax as Threat to French Economy
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Denmark Investigates Drone Incursion, Does Not Rule Out Russian Involvement
Lilly CEO Warns UK Is ‘Worst Country in Europe’ for Drug Prices, Pulls Back Investment
Nigel Farage Emerges as Central Force in British Politics with Reform UK Surge
Disney Reinstates ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ after Six-Day Suspension over Charlie Kirk Comments
U.S. Prosecutors Move to Break Up Google’s Advertising Monopoly
×