Last week I had the pleasure of speaking at a Beautiful Minds Sydney event. I shared some knowledge about the chakras and how the girls (aged from 12 -16) could better manage their energy.
I was incredibly moved by how articulate and intelligent these beautiful souls were, as well as how ‘grown up’ their conversations were.
I know that most generations poke fun at the next lot of people coming up in the world and say things like ‘you didn’t have it as tough as we did’.
I used to say it a lot to my cousins who are a decade younger than me. My older brother (also a decade older than me) said the same thing to me as I was growing up.
And don’t get me started on how my parents had to walk 3 miles in the snow with no shoes on just to get to school – did yours do this as well?
But last week during the event, I didn’t think this at all.
Because last week I was reminded of the power, influence, but also the PRESSURE of living in a world that is rife with social media.
I was confronted with the reality of how stressful it can be to be so visible, accountable and seemingly perfect at such a young age.
So many girls shared the difficulties they faced with feelings like anxiety – a word I didn’t even know existed until I was about 20.
I recently spent part of my holidays with my parents and it was like looking into a mirror of myself, what I’m like, and what I can potentially become.
The only difference regarding what we all grapple with in this case, is that I have a plethora of tools and resources that help me trough the day.
Not only do I look like an uncanny combination of both, I have also inherited an equal amount of quirks and neurosis.
I have my mother’s sense of intolerance and predisposition to generate adrenalin in my system, and in very equal parts I have my dad’s hypersensitivity and inclination for anxiety.
And I’m at the age where watching them get older is more confronting than ever, because these endearing traits that they embody are also more pronounced than ever before.
Last week, I couldn’t help but think (possibly for the millionth time) that I wish these resources were available to me in my adolescence.
I had a maths tutor, yet I’ve never needed to use mathematics again since my last exam in high school – my assistant programs the excel spreadsheets for my business because I hate doing it so much.
At the end of the session after my talk last week, the girls came up with some amazing gems that they hoped would inspire others. They also happen to be what I really needed someone to teach me at their age:
- It’s really ok if you have a nap during the middle of the day.
- Helping others feel confident makes you more confident.
- It’s OK to be honest about why you’re angry or hurt.
- All body shapes are beautiful and unique.
- It’s your duty as a human to be kind to others when they’re lonely.
- Bullying is NEVER ok and neither is ganging up on someone.
- You can still learn a lot from someone’s different religion.
- It’s important to write at least 3 things you’re grateful for everyday.
- Focusing on the positive makes life easier.
- It’s better to be silent if you don’t have something nice to say.
I was really impressed by the concise reasons behind each point, and the only reason this list isn’t longer is because we ran out of time! What do you think? Did we miss anything?