To My Teenage Readers

Article in brief: The author writes to her teenage readers, expressing how being a teenager feels like and encouraging youth to start now and achieve their dreams.

Artwork by Hayat AlHassan (@HayatAlH)
Artwork by Hayat AlHassan (@HayatAlH)

This one is for my teenage readers..

Teenage years can be for some the most unstable years of ones life and I know that from experience. It’s a time when everyone around you expects so much from you, yet you just can’t figure out what you want or who you are.

At times, you feel like you’re hanging by a thread and you just want to give up. Thoughts like “I’ll never be good enough” or “I’ll never be happy” flood your mind and they usually approach you at a moment of self-doubt; a moment when you feel like you’re hitting rock bottom.

You are lost between your daydreams and the wobbly reality. You bury yourself in a book or among the characters of your favorite TV show and this is when the comparing begins. You compare yourself to them, you compare your sorrow to their joy, and you fail to realize that this is nothing but a script written for your own amusement.

Not every day is a good one and not every moment is a happy one. You know it; well, at least your brain does. You know that it’s only a matter of time and that everything happens for a reason, but your heart says otherwise. Your heart replaces your brain and you begin to think with your feelings rather than your logic.

Your raging emotions are your enemy and your brain is the weapon to use against those emotions. Note that you’re the only one in control of yourself and the only one responsible for your actions. Yes, your parents will guide you when you need it the most but you’ll never achieve anything living in the shadow of others.

You’ll reach that state of mind when you’re certain of what you want; it will take so much time and it will be one heck of a ride but you’ll eventually reach it. You’ll know who you are as you climb your way up high, as you get up during a lazy day and do something that makes you happy. It’s the thing that makes you happy, the things that take your breath away, and the things that you are passionate about that define who you are.

Don’t worry about being misunderstood because at times like these, you won’t be able to express yourself and the words that escape your mouth won’t always be the words that are carved in your heart. Yes, teenage years are exhausting but trust me, it’s the time that you’ll be able to achieve the most in your life.

Nowadays, success knows no age and the younger you are, the higher potential you’ll have. Ideas will be knocking on your brain at all times and you’ll have more energy than you’ll ever have in your entire life so use it wisely. This very moment is the youngest you’ll ever be. How do you spend your youth dear teenager?

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