Great Youth Wellbeing: Shyness

What can I do about my shyness?

There are several things to support shy teenagers in becoming more self-confident. If you want to overcome your shyness, it is first important to start "BEING" and stop "DOING" by judging yourself. Instead, start nurturing yourself from the inside out.

Start...

1. Identifying those things that you like about yourself.

2. Challenging the thoughts that you have about shyness.

Think!

1. What makes you believe that you are shy? Are you shy all the time or only under certain circumstances?

2. Is being shy necessarily a bad thing? Once feeling shy stops you from doing things you want and enjoy, this can bring about daily well-being issues.

3. Is there anything positive about shyness?

These are examples of questions to ask yourself. You will gain confidence by focusing on those aspects of yourself you feel good about.

Great Youth Wellbeing: Materialism (Keeping up with your friends)

Is there anything wrong with me buying things to keep up with my friends?

Most young people want to be trendy. They want to do what their friends are doing without considering the intentions and consequences of the other's actions. Relying on external things, such as spending money to make you feel better, can bring about financial and emotional well-being issues.

The answer to your questions is in your “why” or your intentions. Why is it important for you to have the fashions and trends your friends are involved in? Does having what your friends have made you feel better about yourself?

It is important to examine your intentions and to have compassion for yourself. Self-worth can never be achieved through materialism. The reason for this is that you are judging your self-worth through appearances. Instead, consider what you like about yourself and what makes you unique and celebrate that. If you do that, you will attract those who share your values.

Great Youth Wellbeing: Time Management

I have a busy life and feel stressed. What can I do?

Some young people spread themselves too thin with extracurricular activities. Because of this, their academics suffer. Parents are also adding more activities to their teenager's schedules with the belief that taking more responsibilities will help their little ones become successful in life.

The issue is parents are not teaching their kids how to manage their minds and time. This starts with helping young ones with their belief skills, having constraints, and learning to prioritize and make adjustments as needed.

For the academic side, learn to organize your approach to schoolwork to work more effectively. Being disciplined will make you feel more in control of the situation and less stressed. There will always be enough time to meet up with friends and play.

There are two questions that you need to ask yourself. Am I taking on more than I have time for, or am I not using my time wisely? Either way, you feel stressed because you are not being disciplined with your time. This is a well-being issue. Time management is a skill that needs to be developed in all youths.