Helping Teens Focus on the Positive

Written by Ketaki Shriram

Today's teen's face challenges prior generations never had to deal with. There are increasing cases of devastating violence in our schools, teenage pregnancy, horrific bullying, substance abuse and peer pressure which all have a profound effect on their self-esteem and decision-making skills.

"Being a teen in today's world is difficult because of increased social pressures," says 16-year old Ketaki Shriram, author of 'Sorceress of the Himalayas',"By finding activities that I enjoyed participating in, or hobbies that interested me, I was able to ignore some of the pressures teenagers face."

By focusing on the positive, Ketaki was able to excel at her classes, get involved in many school activities and complete her first novel by 13 years of age. "I think that every teen can find something that they are passionate about," says Shriram. "It can be an art, sport, or other activity. I think that as long as you like what you're doing, you can ignore some of the pressures that teens face.'

Shriram has some of her own tips to help teens identify what makes them special and how to look past the daily challenges that they face:

Write Down a List of Your Goals. Make long and short term goals for yourself, and try to have at least one that is related to finding a new activity or hobby to engage in. If you can try to stay focused on what you want, it'll be easier to stay calm when school gets busy. You're also more likely to have time to pursue a hobby or passion if you set goals and achieve them within certain time limits.
Create a Schedule for Yourself. By creating a schedule, you can figure out how much time you need to spend on homework. You'll also be able to plan time for your friends in a schedule without getting behind on schoolwork. Planning ahead can also leave you with some time for any other activities you might have.
Don't Spend Hours on Facebook or AIM. It's so easy to get sucked into reading the latest celebrity gossip blogs and playing tennis on your Wii. Try to finish all your homework before getting onto Facebook or AIM. This will reduce your stress level.
Get Some Sleep, You Earned It! Try to sleep early; it'll help you stay awake in class the next day, and you're less likely to be irritable and fight with your friends if you're well-rested. Aim for an absolute minimum of six hours per night. Stay off the energy drinks! They'll affect your sleep cycle even more.
Create Challenges For Yourself. Trying new things will help build your confidence, keep you learning, and introduce you to new people. Choose and try at least one new fun activity that is different than what you routinely do. If you find something you are passionate about that is different from the rest of your life, you'll be able to ignore the pressures at school with less difficulty.

About the Author

Ketaki Shriram is the author of 'Sorceress of the Himalayas' (Crystallius Press). She began writing in the fifth grade, and penned this novel at age 13. She is currently a high school student in Menlo Park, Calif. and this is her first published novel. Her writing has been inspired by the events and people in her life. She also uses writing as a way of teaching, learning, and as an emotional outlet for coping with negative situations and emotions. Her story focuses on succeeding and overcoming obstacles, something that she has applied to her own life. www.sorceressofthehimalayas.com

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