Dear Teen,
I wish I saw more teens being resourceful. It seems like it should be more common but it just isn’t. What do I really mean? I guess I’m talking about problem solving, finding answers and solutions on your own. It also means trusting yourself and believing in yourself enough to rely on your current knowledge and ability to figure it out. When I’m helping a teen I make it a practice not to give them the answer to a problem or tell them what to do. Instead, I help them figure out what they need to do by having them go step by step. Every time you figure something out on your own (maybe with some guidance) you build confidence in your ability to do so. You will start to see yourself as a very capable resource. What you don’t know, you can figure out. And it is always OK to ask for help! Just be ready to follow through on your own. You never want someone to do it for you. OK, you might want to have someone do it for you, but there is no growth in doing it that way. A resourceful teen will learn to trust your own ability and judgement, and that can go a long way when faced with life challenges both big and small. If you rely on someone else solving it for you or giving you the answers, what do you really learn? So trust yourself to try, and what you don’t know ask for some guidance. Then go out and do it yourself. Practice this and you will feel your self-confidence grow stronger and stronger. And most important of all, be proud of yourself for working it through! You are on your way to being a resourceful teen!