Has anyone told you that your entire life is ahead of you? It’s no secret that you learn more about yourself and the world over time, especially when you age. There are always impactful truths to hear at this age to avoid taking youth for granted. Here are six significant lessons to learn as you plan your future and experience your teenage years.
#1. Enjoy Movement
Your body has so much more strength and capability than you think. Don’t be afraid to run to your favorite local places, jump as high as you can, or dance until your feet get sore. Never stop expressing yourself through movement and physical expression because one day, this won’t last.
Bodies are forever changing. While we should be grateful for all they do for us, it’s important to realize there are physical limits as we age. There will be more muscle aches, less agility, and more difficulty walking.
And this is okay. But remember, as long as you are able, to love movement.
Don’t worry if you don’t have any experience with artistic movements at all. This doesn’t mean that you quit moving or trying activities you love. Whether you’re a star athlete or not, never take a step for granted. There are so many options for self-expression and movements that signal your strength and unique abilities!
#2. Rest is Not a Weakness
Often, a day of rest comes with doubts and worries about the heaps of work you’ve meant to do. It’s not a rest day if it’s filled with anticipation to work, so in the end, a person often ends up cramming bits of work into their daily schedule or when they’re sick. Overworking leads to burnout and procrastination over time. Acknowledging your need to rest – what makes you human – is significant for having both productive and restful days.
You won’t be able to do your best work without adequate rest and nourishment. Schedule times for yourself and identify the stressors in your life. Please do your best to address them without sacrificing your well-being or time off. After all, whether you complete ten tasks or one assignment, you deserve every second of it.
#3. Look for the Good
It’s often easy to look for “red flags” in people. Identifying people’s flaws and imperfections offers short-lived protection from potential hardships or social tension. In modern life, it is human nature to search for possible threats to our inner security.
Don’t criticize yourself for noticing the “bad” in others or yourself. Realizing what you like and dislike about others can guide you to self-improvement through introspection, which allows for profound personal growth and understanding.
If others around you appear shallow or similar, you might generalize their unique traits and personalities. Examine the way you behave around certain people. You joke a lot more around your best friend than, say, your teacher.
Analyze why your behavior changes and how others’ energy and attitudes impact these actions. Once you understand how you feel around others, you can understand them. Always look for the flowers in a valley of weeds. It takes practice, but after you gain experience, they stand right out.
#4. Find Your Beauty
It’s easier said than done to look in the mirror and appreciate what you see: acne and skin texture, crooked teeth, freckles, and imperfect eyebrows. When people are young, they often criticize their appearance without realizing the underlying causes of these judgments. For example, insecurity or a shift in focus is a root cause of body dysmorphia and other related issues.
When a person becomes older, and these root causes are left unacknowledged, this can lead to deeper problems. After all, human bodies inevitably age over time. Sunspots and smile lines form.
Skin begins to sag. Forehead wrinkles and frown lines become more prominent. Over time, aging people may regret criticizing their younger appearance. Youth is fleeting, and whether your selfies are Instagram-worthy or not, your worth doesn’t change.
Remember, appreciating yourself takes time. Start by noticing when you find yourself criticizing any perceived flaws. Then, consider the underlying issues.
Over time, with patience and positive efforts, you will begin to feel uplifted. Changing a critical viewpoint is not easy, but it is worth it. Keep going!
#5. Capture Memories
Life changes very quickly. Each step in your education takes only a matter of years, and through an intense, energetic routine, it often goes by faster than you will imagine. The mind can only remember so much – there will surely be details and situations you can forget over time.
This unique limitation can be both positive and negative. After all, to use your experiences for personal growth, you must first capture their essence.
Write down whatever you care about or is prominent in your life. For example, describe your calculus class’ challenging homework or a petty social situation. You might laugh out loud at it in the future, realizing how far you’ve come in your journey.
Take photos of your favorite places. Keep the selfies with your friends that you don’t want to post. Experience each part of your life, from tedious challenges to its brightest joys, and keep track of it.
Make memories that last, not just stick in your headspace for a while. Be ambitious, and never sacrifice your ambitions for temporary hardships.
To remember details and events in your daily life, search for life’s anomalies. These can be unusual occurrences (such as heavy rainfall or jam-packed freeways) or events that made your week stand out. Write down activities you tried or risks you took.
These can help you form memories and close bonds with those you spend time with. This takes practice but makes your life more fulfilling and breaks the cycle of repetitive schedules.
#6. Self Discovery Happens Over a Lifetime
Many teenagers feel pressured to figure it all out by the time they enter college. Whether this refers to self-growth or career planning, this causes unnecessary stress and burdens many students. This pressure causes them to make impulsive decisions or choose passions others will be impressed by rather than finding their calling.
You might find yourself wondering if you’re making the wrong decisions about the future or whether you are making enough progress. Worry not.
From a teenager’s viewpoint, a career or major seems permanent. However, this perception is often untrue. Your life and professional path are more malleable than you might suppose.
For instance, according to the University of Tulsa, approximately 80% of college students switch majors at least once. Finding your passions and career choices is a process that happens over time, not within a specific matter of years.
In addition, identifying your strengths and weaknesses has happened over the decades. You don’t have to figure everything out about yourself by the time your teenage years end. Remember that you are always learning and growing. Continue trying your best and seek a supportive community.
While it’s impossible to predict every challenge and change in your lifetime, you can begin practicing measures of self-appreciation and healthy strategies to cope with them. An open mindset toward the future is crucial for a healthy start to adulthood. With practice and consideration of others, you can enhance your ability to enjoy the ups and downs of life. After all, it’s what makes your resilience and unique qualities pay off.
