Controlling Our Own Lives

In late adolescence, (16-21), we need control over our own lives.

Our parents may not agree with that, but it's important to our development to start taking control of our own lives. If we aren't allowed to, or choose not to, that will lead to problems later on.

First of all, I believe that all people who are able to, should drive. We live in a big country, and unless you choose to not drive for the betterment of the environment, it's really convenient to know how to drive.

If you're stranded in a hostile environment, and are presented with a gift from God in the form of a getaway Jeep, wouldn't it be nice to know how to drive it? Or the alternative may be to be abused or possibly killed by hostiles and left in a bad situation far from home. An extreme example, but a friend of mine found themselves in such a situation while serving in the military. Sometimes, we do face survival situations.

What type of person are you? Do you like art? Are you any good at making it? If so, maybe you should be pursing education or experience in the field. One good resource that people overlook is the phone book. In it you will find all kinds of business' from A to Z. Picking up the phone and telling the person who answers that you are a student looking into _______, may lead you to your first or next career option.

Life at this stage can seem a little magical. You're not a kid anymore, but not quite an adult. You may feel a little crazy with all of the preparation for "the real world". You may be burning brightly or hiding yourself inside of yourself. The doors of time are going to open, whether you're ready for the next developmental stage or not. You may hope that your name is around for a thousand years! Or you may just want the Earth to swallow you up. Everyone is different.

Becoming who you are meant to be, takes time and the effort we call life. In order to live the life that is uniquely yours, you must take control of it. Only you can know what the life of your dreams looks like. In my class "Living Your Own Life", I teach my students how to do this. Some of us just get lost along the way. Maybe we were held captive, and not allowed to make our own choices in late adolescence. Maybe we weren't ready for this stage, and chose to let others still make decisions for us. No matter which was our experience, the need to control your own life is an important step in our development.

Until next time!

Angelia