Ask Me Anything is a fantastic book by Rebecca Sparrow. Rebecca is an author and columnist on mamamia.com.au. She openly and honestly tackles all kinds of questions in this book like "how do you know if your friends really like you?" and "how can I feel closer to my mum who died?" If she doesn't have an answer, she finds someone who does. I highly recommend it and can't wait to read her other books, Find Your Tribe and Find Your Feet.
You can find Rebecca's website at http://rebeccasparrow.com/ I heard someone say once that God gave us two ears and one mouth so we should listen twice as much as we talk. In her article, Do this and you'll be the most popular person in the room, Betty Liu asserts that people just want you to listen to them. She states that "listening will help you in almost every aspect of your life" and lists three tips on how to be a better listener. You can find the full article here.
Senior High School can be a difficult time. You are not quite an adult but definitely not a child any more, the frontal lobe of your brain is still developing (which controls emotions, memory and judgement amongst other things), your hormones are running rampant, you're trying figure out boys and possibly juggle a part time job. Then you have the whole Senior High School thing to deal with - lots of reading, homework, study and exams - until you think your brain will explode.
Stephanie Limm won the VCE Leadership Award in 2013. While she was in high school she wrote a booklet entitled A Student's Guide to Staying Sane in VCE (VCE = Victorian Certificate of Education, in Western Australia it's called WACE and in New South Wales it's called HSC for Higher School Certificate etc.). It's full of ways to be mentally and physically healthy and great study tips. Stephanie was also responsible for students undertaking a Student Mental Health First AId Course at her high school and made sure students had access to gym facilities and meditation classes. Letters to your teenage self have been around for a while but there were a couple that went viral this International Women's Day. Here is mine.
Dear Teenage Amanda, Stop worrying about what other people think. Be comfortable being you even if that means being a nerd. You are so much more than what you look like on the outside. You are clever, funny and compassionate. At the same time you should spend some time looking after the outside. Always wear sunscreen and never perm your hair. Eat healthy! Forget about dieting and avoiding 'bad' food. All food is good in moderation. If you don't heed this bit of advice - buy shares in Mars. Your parents are two of the most remarkable people you'll ever meet. Be grateful for the sacrifices they make and spend time with them while you can. Forget about boys and falling in love - they're not emotionally equipped to deal with serious relationships at this age and there's plenty of time for that later. You will find Mr Right and he'll be worth waiting for. Don't bother with trashy teen magazines they are full of dodgy advice, fashion you can't afford and trashy gossip. Choose uplifting and positive things to read, watch and listen to. You can't choose what life throws at you but you can choose how you respond to it. Above all, keep your faith. Don't try to grow up too fast - enjoy the journey. |
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