subject: Danger of Being Young, Passionate and Vulnerable and How to Deal With it [print this page] Danger of Being Young, Passionate and Vulnerable and How to Deal With it
I will be speaking to this year's soon-to-be-awarded Queens Guides tomorrow. 44 young ladies from all over the country have worked hard at challenging and building themselves, championing a cause they choose, raising awareness on the need to care for community and the environment.
I want to leave them with something that can help them here and now not theories that are abstract. These are budding young ladies with capabilities and talents and ready to make a difference to the community.
These girls are fortunate to have an organization that trains and builds them up in an all rounded way outside of academic knowledge. Some other young girls may not have been exposed to Girl Guiding and not gotten the support they need. In either case, I want to share just one burning point with here.
When you are young and invincible, it is easy to think that you know it all and have it all. You have proven your capabilities, talents and skills and you are ready to commit to your cause and ideals. It is easy to think that you have the answers to life's complex questions.
Extra curricular training and the internet have given today's youth have access to much updated information and they may have more exposure than their parents in certain areas. And it is that much more urgent that they keep an open channel of communication and invite view points from peers, elders and guiding mentors as they make their own decisions.
While every experience can provide learning, some experiences cost much heart aches, time and resources. In recent conversations I have with family and friends, the topic of certain organizations wanting to "target" youth and college kids came up quite a bit. Youth are most energetic and idealistic and therefore most vulnerable to influence or "brain conditioning".
Young ladies, guard your mind, share your thoughts with your leaders and commissioners, your mentors, coaches if you do not feel comfortable sharing with your parents. They will help you see with objective minds and fresh perspectives before you take drastic moves.
What you see is from your personalperspective. Sometimes your eyes play tricks; especially if you are wearing scratched glasses or tainted ones. Also your interpretation of events and ideas is based on your experience. So it does not hurt to be open to more points of view. Have a second or third opinion especially when you are making important decisions.
Keep an open mind and not isolate yourself, not base your thinking, beliefs and hopes any one source. Do your due diligence, check your sources, ask for opinions from more than one source before you make your decisions. Have a peer partner, consult your leader, mentor, coach that you can discuss things with openly.
"For as we think, we shall act and be". It all starts in the mind. And the mind is most eager to learn and absorb when you are eager to grow. Check the books you read, the videos you watch, the conversations you have, the words you use and the friends you keep.
"Our lives are changed by the people we associate with and the books we read"
My heart goes out to these young women who are with great potential and aspirations. If only we can influence more youth to go onto the right path... By the way you can always support the young women in your community. You can give of your time, your talents or your resources or just be a role model.
