Intro
Dear Teenager,
There are so many things I want you to know. When I was your age I loved to write. English was my favorite subject. I had no way of knowing that something that came so easily was a gift for many.
For decades, I was concerned with adults. My job was to inspire, motivate, and educate them to be healthy. It was tiring. It was rewarding, but tiring. I learned many years ago that behavior change as an adult is hard. In addition, people don't want to pay for you to help. They want a quick fix to problems that are 20, 30, 40, 50 years in the making. I am burning out. I need a change. I asked myself a lot of hard questions over the last year. It is clear that it is time for change.
While I was working health club jobs for very little pay, (even though I had a college degree, and was very good at it) I was also raising a family.
My family came first. I had 2 children, a boy and a girl, 2 years apart. Then I had another boy 7 years later. They were my world. As of this writing they are 25, 23, and 16. As my "baby" grows into a man, I am understanding more and more about my purpose in life.
I believe we are all created for a purpose. As I sit back and examine what makes me happiest, and it is when there are kids in the room. I love all ages. I was asked what my favorite age and it didn't take me long to answer that teenagers are my favorite age. Particularly 13-15 years old.
Why? Because you are smart and you know it. You think you know everything, which of course leads to a lot of problems and power struggles with authority. No one knows everything, but you definitely know a lot. You know more than you should, but you are being raised post information age, and adults frustrate you. They really frustrate you.
No matter how much information you have, what you lack is the application of knowledge. You still have to go out and learn stuff the hard way. The internet does not teach you how to manage all of these thoughts, emotions, and relationships you are having. You are experiencing everything for the first time. Navigating life can not be learned in a youtube video.
Being a teenager is the most thrilling, and frightening, time of your life. You will ride the roller coaster of emotion each day. The sky high high, and the devastating low can come on the same day. You will fight with everyone who cares about you. You will love people you don't even know and objects that can't love you back. You will learn, over the next few years, the importance of boundaries and rules, even though you will feel as though there are chains and bars everywhere.
What I want you to know, more than anything, is that it is all going to be ok. You are going to turn out just fine. If you follow the rules contained in this book, there is nothing you can't do, have, give, or accomplish.
This is the time for dreaming. Keep your eyes and your hearts open!
The world is an amazing place!
There are so many things I want you to know. When I was your age I loved to write. English was my favorite subject. I had no way of knowing that something that came so easily was a gift for many.
For decades, I was concerned with adults. My job was to inspire, motivate, and educate them to be healthy. It was tiring. It was rewarding, but tiring. I learned many years ago that behavior change as an adult is hard. In addition, people don't want to pay for you to help. They want a quick fix to problems that are 20, 30, 40, 50 years in the making. I am burning out. I need a change. I asked myself a lot of hard questions over the last year. It is clear that it is time for change.
While I was working health club jobs for very little pay, (even though I had a college degree, and was very good at it) I was also raising a family.
My family came first. I had 2 children, a boy and a girl, 2 years apart. Then I had another boy 7 years later. They were my world. As of this writing they are 25, 23, and 16. As my "baby" grows into a man, I am understanding more and more about my purpose in life.
I believe we are all created for a purpose. As I sit back and examine what makes me happiest, and it is when there are kids in the room. I love all ages. I was asked what my favorite age and it didn't take me long to answer that teenagers are my favorite age. Particularly 13-15 years old.
Why? Because you are smart and you know it. You think you know everything, which of course leads to a lot of problems and power struggles with authority. No one knows everything, but you definitely know a lot. You know more than you should, but you are being raised post information age, and adults frustrate you. They really frustrate you.
No matter how much information you have, what you lack is the application of knowledge. You still have to go out and learn stuff the hard way. The internet does not teach you how to manage all of these thoughts, emotions, and relationships you are having. You are experiencing everything for the first time. Navigating life can not be learned in a youtube video.
Being a teenager is the most thrilling, and frightening, time of your life. You will ride the roller coaster of emotion each day. The sky high high, and the devastating low can come on the same day. You will fight with everyone who cares about you. You will love people you don't even know and objects that can't love you back. You will learn, over the next few years, the importance of boundaries and rules, even though you will feel as though there are chains and bars everywhere.
What I want you to know, more than anything, is that it is all going to be ok. You are going to turn out just fine. If you follow the rules contained in this book, there is nothing you can't do, have, give, or accomplish.
This is the time for dreaming. Keep your eyes and your hearts open!
The world is an amazing place!
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