Being a Happy Teenager

Do you ever:

• wish you were older?
• wish you had more money?
• get embarrassed by your parents?
• wish you looked different?
• wish you had different parents?

Do you ever feel "No one understands me."

Do you ever wonder "Will I fall in love?"

Do you sometimes want to drown your brothers and sisters?

Do you ever ask "Why do I have to learn all this stuff in school that I will probably never need?"

Do you ever wonder "Am I normal?"

- Being a Happy Teenager, Chapter 1 by Andrew Matthews

These are some doubts that we may face at different points of our lives. We may feel that we're the only ones in this world with these problems, suffocated and overwhelmed.

Do remember that everyone has faced, is facing or will be facing such self-doubts too. Your friends, teachers and parents might have went through these troubles as well. You're not alone. Seek advice from others who have journeyed through these paths. Learn from their experiences, ask for their guidance. Share your dilemmas.

Also, examine some of your more restrictive thoughts and learn to rise above them. To grow and become happier, more receptive and wiser.

Don't be trapped in a morass of self-pity. Don't blame the world for your problems. Rise up to subdue or slay your challenges.

All the best on this journey of self-discovery! Life has much to offer you, as much as you have to contribute to it.