A sense of perspective
* Hannah Steeves is a Grade 8 student at Hillcrest School. Community Assets is a bi-weekly column provided by the United Way of Southeastern New Brunswick's Youth First committee.
You can't do it. You're not strong enough. You're too little. Dumb. You're not good enough.
In today's world, society is pushing these lies on youth. I am constantly surrounded by advertisements, celebrities, opinions, and media telling me that unless I buy the right clothes or hang out with the cool kids or have the newest technology, I will find a source of personal power in the world that feels like it wants to rip me to pieces?
The key is self-confidence. Self-confidence is the answer to finding personal power within you. Once you are confident in yourself, then you can strive to achieve anything. So how can a youth today find personal power?
The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of my own personal power is family and friends. I surround myself with family and friends who respect me, and I respect them. I don't make friends who'll cut me down.
Purpose is one word that describes millions of different opinions. Everyone finds purpose in his or her own way. Personally, I find my purpose in my faith, but that is not the only way to find purpose.
Money is a way people find purpose. They believe that life is a competition to see who can have the most.
Purpose can also be related to success, love, power, personal satisfaction, pleasure, worth ethic, and just about anything else you can think of.
There are several different opinions on the purpose of the existence of human beings.
Here is one thing I am completely sure of: As a youth today it is hard to obtain personal power, but it is possible. We do not have to listen to the lies anymore.
Self-confidence is the ultimate personal power, and as soon as you find self-confidence, you can follow your purpose.
I feel empowered, do you?
* Did you know that only 38% of our young people in Southeastern NB report having this asset of Personal Power?
It means that a young person feels he or she has control over "things that happen to me."
Hannah has it, and by the time students reach Grade 12 almost ½ of the students report having this asset.
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