Business and Leadership Coaching
Business and Leadership Coaching
We cannot deny that there is ever-increasing pressure to ensure that our children are reassured that they are supported by us as parents, guardians, and anyone who has stepped forward to play a positive role in their lives.
Even more so as they enter their teenage years.
The teenage phase of life is a particularly challenging time for any person as there is a need to belong and fit in somewhere.
It is at this time when teenagers need support structures at home, learning institutions, faith organizations, and society at large.
The reality however is that teenagers are most often left to figure out things for themselves and find it difficult to understand their value. Their value is that they have been created with a purpose and that they have incredible potential.
Our teenagers are further subjected to negative opinions and views from others about themselves. In most cases, it creates a sense of despair and even the questioning of their self-worth.
Being subjected to these negative opinions has a devastating effect on these precious young lives, especially when it is consistently encountered and over extended periods.
The impact shows up when our teenagers believe they cannot pursue their aspirations and dreams. At this phase of their lives, they are easily persuaded by these external opinions to follow the crowd. They also do not want to disappoint those close to them by pursuing what they want to do as a profession or vocation.
We have an incredible opportunity to let our teens know that they have been blessed with limitless potential and abilities.
This opportunity however does not last forever and has to be seized with urgency.
Our teens need to know they are valuable and have value to contribute. They need to know that they can pursue their aspirations, goals, and dreams. They need to know that they can succeed at what they set their minds on to achieve. They need to know that they have been fearfully and wonderfully created on purpose. What is required though to succeed is commitment and doing the necessary work.
There may be challenges or obstacles encountered along the way but there is no question that each individual can succeed.
Positive communication is where we start to help our teens build a positive self-image.
Negative opinions all too often are expressed to teens about themselves. Opinions like, ‘you are pretty average’ or ‘you won’t amount to much’. What about, ‘you won’t amount to anything’ or ‘you are good for nothing’. The list goes on and it is quite disempowering and destructive.
Ironically, often these opinions come from well-meaning relatives who are looking out for these teens to protect them from getting hurt by life out there.
The positive communication needs to state the truth regarding these young people. The truth which is contrary to these negative opinions. They need to understand their incredible potential and how to develop the correct self-image.
I was told that I was not good enough.
Imagine hearing that, ‘you are not good enough to pursue your aspirations.’
At the time I was in my teens when it was customary to select the subjects which you will continue with throughout the final four years of schooling. These subjects had to be aligned with the field of study which you planned to pursue.
I wanted to be an architect and it was compulsory to study mathematics as a key subject in your final school years to study architecture later at university.
At the start of the year when we were required to select the subjects based on the field of study we aspired to pursue, I was told mathematics grades from the previous year were not good enough. I therefore could not continue with mathematics and as a result, could not study architecture later.
All I heard was ‘you are not good enough.’ This negatively impacted my self-esteem quite severely.
If I only understood at the time that that was only an opinion, an assessment, based on a time in the past. Furthermore, it was based on my results in the study of mathematics at a certain time. It had nothing to do with my incredible potential and true abilities.
I also realized that there are many teens today who have had similar experiences when someone expressed their opinion about them. That opinion or assessment that their results are not good enough. They may also have been told that their circumstances are not good enough for them to pursue their aspirations. The reality is that all they heard is ‘you are not good enough.’
Now, I’m on a mission to help teenagers to understand that they are wonderfully made by God who cares that they live to their full potential and on purpose.
Now, I’m on a mission to help teenagers to understand that they are wonderfully made by God who cares that they live to their full potential and on purpose.
This calls for a concerted effort by all of us who have the interest of our teenagers at heart.
Furthermore, it requires a deliberate and committed effort.
Deliberate, as accidental or by the way will not cut it to make the required impact.
Committed as this is not a sprint but a marathon requiring perseverance and patience. The trust of our teens must be gained since they will question whether this is real.
Effort as there is no quick fix or automatic switch. It will take love, sweat, and the demonstration of intent.
More on this initiative will be shared in the next coming days.
In the meantime please show your support for this intervention by commenting on the social media posts where this is communicated.
Also, reach out to us by email at service@prolificworx.com expressing your interest and support. This will allow us to keep you updated on the next steps and planned events.
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