The longer you hang in there, the greater the chance that something will happen in your favor. No matter how hard it seems, the longer you persist, the more likely your success. – Jack Canfield
What does it feel like to “hang in there,” how do you convey that to your adolescent?
How does this make you feel? Do you allow things to upset you that you could let go of? What can you change about your thoughts that would make you happier?
“Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.” –Golda Meir
How do you trust yourself? What ways can we support a teenager learning to trust themselves?
“If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” –Vincent van Gogh
How do you make your mental health a priority in your life? How can you support your child’s mental health?
Actual Conversation:
Person 1: I go to therapy every week, why do I need to do anything else about this?
Person 2: If you do your self-care work, therapy is going to go a lot smoother.
Person 1: Therapy IS my self-care!
Person 2: It’s part of your self-care.
Perhaps you’ve been on both sides of this conversation, maybe you’ve had it with yourself. It’s important to remember that therapy and medication are parts of the self-care and self-love process.
That can be really hard to cope with when it takes a lot to just get to therapy and open up there. It’s important to be mindful that adolescents may not want to discuss their therapy or self-care activities with you. But it is important to keep the door of communication open.
One way to do that is to create a habit of just checking in with your adolescent daily. Or just going on a walk together where no one has to say anything, but the door is open to it. Another way is to demonstrate that you do self-care for yourself, and name the activity “self-care time.” Doing so makes it easier for them to say “Other people also do things to take care of themselves outside of treatment, maybe I can too.”
What are some ways that you encourage your adolescent to engage in self-care outside of therapy or medication? What are ways that you take care of yourself?
“Don’t waste your energy trying to change opinions … do your thing, and don’t care if they like it.” –Tina Fey
Does it help to have someone else believe in you when you are down? How do you tell your adolescent that you are behind them when they are not feeling good about themselves?
Sometimes we all need a little extra help with something hard. Many people, including youths, start smoking and find it incredibly difficult to quit. 
DoSomething.org currently has campaign to for people to help other people quit the deadly habit. It’s called “Quitters Always Win” and you can win a $5000 scholarship by signing up to send a card to someone trying to quit! You can sign up here!
Do you think this kind of positive encouragement is useful? Where in your life could you use a card? Tell us about if you signed up and made a card or if you need a little extra boost in your life!
ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” -Leo BuscagliaNow when you’re outta your mind
Working that blind
To turn it around you better trust somebody
Look at yourself you like what you see
If you want something else you better trust somebody
Ain’t no one but a stranger to you
But I can show you what love can do
What do you think of this song? Have you trusted someone before with awesome results? How can we cultivate a trusting relationship with adolescents?
But if you give a little love, you can get a little love of your own
Don’t break his heart
Yeah if you give a little love, you can get a little love of your own
Don’t break his heart
How did you like the song? How did it make you feel? Would you share it with your adolescent?
