“What I Learned” is a guest post series of lessons learned in relationships that matter the most (you can send us your story too). This guest post is by Agnes Jimenez from Cebu, Philippines.
If you are anything like me, your teenage years were very eventful. It seems like more happened to me during those years than during any other period of my life. There are many changes, both mental and physical, that take place. This is literally the period of time in which a boy turns into a man or a girl turns into a woman, and the process can be trying in many ways. However, all of these changes can lead to some very important lessons, such as these 10 that I learned while I was growing up.
1. My Parents Know A Few Things
When I first became a teenager, I thought my parents didn’t know anything. By the time I turned 20, though, I had made enough mistakes from going against their advice that I could see that they actually knew a few things, things they had probably learned in exactly the same way I had learned them.
2. Friends Are Very Important
I really learned the value of friends at this age. As a child, you don’t really pick your friends, but you could as a teenager. Picking friends who would stick by you was very important.
3. Life Has A Lot To Offer
The world seemed to grow quite a bit between the ages 12 and 20. Suddenly, I knew about other countries, other occupations, and many things I had never considered before. I could see that life had almost a limitless amount of opportunities.
4. Trust Has To Be Earned
One thing that I learned quickly from friends and girlfriends is that trust has to be earned. Once it is broken, it is hard to earn it back.
5. Things Would Be Hard
I also learned that life would not always be easy. There would be hard times, and getting through them said a lot about who you were as a person.
6. There Is Always a Balance
I found that there always had to be a balance between nearly everything. Work and entertainment had to be balanced, for example, to create a healthy lifestyle.
7. Dedication Matters
From sports teams and friendships, I learned that dedication was important. Being committed to something really showed your character, especially when things were hard.
8. Things Change
As a young child, everything seemed like it would always be the same. Only as a teen did I see how things could change quickly for better or worse.
9. Life Can Be Rather Unexpected
I found that you could not always anticipate everything that would happen in life. What is really important is that you know how to react when the unexpected happens.
10. You Can Always Go Home
Finally, I learned the true value of a good family. After making mistakes, I learned that you could always go back to a family that loved you.
The things that I learned when I was a teen have shaped the rest of my life. They have helped to make me who I am today. Some of the lessons were difficult, but I am now thankful for all of the experiences that impacted me as I grew up and matured.
About the Author:
Agnes Jimenez is a professional blogger and writer. She partners with HelpYourTeenNow.com to increase awareness on the current psychological and societal stresses of today’s teens. Agnes can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.
photo credit: 55Laney69