The SOVA Project is happy to feature this blog post written by one in our team of fantastic SOVA Ambassadors—these are young people who help create meaningful blog posts from adolescents’ perspectives. We hope you can use their post to start a conversation with your adolescent.
With the start of a new year, there is mounting pressure to create a better version of yourself. There’s talk of resolutions and all the things that we have to accomplish in 2021 in order to be successful. The radio, social media, and your family will all be talking about their grand goals for the new year.
This year, however, I’m granting myself a free pass from the stress of having to try and be my best self in a global pandemic. Sometimes, and especially this year, just getting up every day and functioning is enough.
This might not be the year that I travel the world. This might not be the year that I pay off all my debts. This might not be the year that I get a dog, hit a new PR running a marathon, or find the perfect man. Instead, this might be the year that I get out of bed every day, keep my stable, (albeit boring) job, and do nothing remarkable. And that’s okay.
This will be the year that I accept myself for who I am and don’t feel badly about myself for not making the resolutions and goals that everyone else is.
Do you remind your child that sometimes, simply existing is enough? Do you believe in this mindset? How would you have a discussion about pressure and not having to be busy all the time with your child?