We live in a strange world. When you’re young, you’re encouraged to grow up really fast. Then, as you get older, you’re encouraged to do everything humanly possible to stay young!
Being a teen is cool. You’re exactly the age you need to be. You’re already a young adult. Enjoy it while you can. Despite the fact that everyone is trying to force you to grow up really fast, there’s no need to “buy in” all the way. You’ll be an adult a lot longer than you’ll be a teen. The reason that so few people are happy is that they are preoccupied with being something that they’re not. Very few people are satisfied with where they are; most perceive something else or somewhere else as better. Once you decide that today, right where you are, is good enough, you’ll begin to make the most of the life that you have. You’ll make great decisions about your future without sacrificing the joys of your younger years.
One of my favorite cartoons pictured two guys who were ready to walk into a formal cocktail party full of people. The caption read, “Yipes, grown-ups!” I laughed because that’s the way I feel so much of the time, even though I’m one of them.
So many people, particularly adults, see life as serious business. Everything is an emergency or a contest. People are uptight, in a hurry, take themselves too seriously, are highly stressed, and lacking in gratitude.
Whenever I find myself getting too stressed out, I remind myself that life is an incredible gift. Each day, in fact, is special and unique; none is more important than the others. We are here for a parenthesis in eternity. Why not spend less time and energy wishing we were somewhere else and more time and energy making each day all it can be?
I’ve been asked, more than once, “Are you suggesting that life isn’t hard or that you don’t need to work hard?” My answer has always been, “Of course not.” Life is often very hard, and the only way I know of to get through it is to work hard. But you can work hard, achieve, do your best, compete, pursue dreams, contribute, give back, and all the rest without becoming a stressed-out, burned-out monster. You can do all these things and more while still keeping your perspective, having fun, and being ethical and thoughtful. The first step in having it all is to like who you are right now. Be glad you’re a teen!