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Research* shows that teenagers’ happiness plummets as they reach adolescence.
So, what advice would you offer your teenage self to get through those rollercoaster years? Kerri Littlefield talks to us:
As my daughter turned 13 I started to see more of myself in her; both in the good bits, and the bad bits. I also started to remember how tough it is being a teenager, and that the saying of school days being the best years of your life isn't always true.
Here's my advice to my teenage self, and any teenagers or young adults who might sometimes feel that things are tough.
1. Look for the fun in things! Life isn't supposed to be so serious. Experiment, take risks, because later on when you have big responsibilities it’s harder to take these risks. For now, push the boundaries in your safe protected environment. Pull an all-nighter, go skinny-dipping or travelling, and then go back to your family cocoon.
2. Don't worry so much about looking silly. You look more silly worrying about looking silly than you do when you don’t care.
3. Get used to the idea that learning anything new is hard. Giving up on dreams and ambitions is one of the things that older people regret*. It is so much easier for those with a spongy young brain to take on new ideas and skills, so choose a skill to pursue, and stick at it. You will never regret it.
4. As any teenager will know, there’s a pressure to look perfect. You are perfect. Or, as perfect as anyone else. And that’s that.
5. Don’t let friendships get you down, because by the time you are an adult, chances are you'll have ditched a lot of them anyway. Shame, but true.
6. Enjoy time with your parents. Nobody will love you like they do. And forgive them for being annoying. It’s their job.
So the key advice here is: try not to worry. I know every teenager worries because they are going through a time of change and confusion and it can be derailing. As a teenager I know once said, “I live in my world. But it’s okay – they know me here.”
Need to get closer to an estranged teenager? Check out the range of award-winning journals created by Journals of a Lifetime to inspire you and your teenager to learn more about each other.
RESEARCH
*Girls’ happiness plummets as they reach teenage years https://www.herts.ac.uk/about-us/news/2015/october/hbsc-report
*Top 10 regrets in life by those about the die http://addicted2success.com/success-advice/infographic-the-top-10-regrets-in-life-by-those-about-to-die/
