As children, we are guided by our parents to follow the steps that should lead us on a good path. When we become teenagers, we enter the stage of self-discovery. We start to develop the goals we want to follow in the future, no longer dictated by third-party ideals, but by creating our own criteria.
Sometimes as parents, teachers, counsellors or caregivers, we want to know how to support teens in their self-development, and to give them practical and valuable advice for their daily life.
This article aims to provide you, as a mentor, with 11 tips that will engage young people and encourage them to improve their self-development.
You can suggest them to focus on just one development area and then move on to the next!
1. Push them to take on a new hobby
Everyone have a favourite hobby, but we can always benefit from a new activity. Dancing, singing, designing or any sports are great hobbies. Help them explore hobbies they enjoy to discover a little more about themselves.
Learning a new activity always takes a while, so don’t pressure! Make sure that they enjoy the new hobby and remind them to trust the learning process!
2. Encourage them to read every day
Reading strengthens our minds and helps our mental health. Making reading a habit can improve our concentration, memory, and develop our imagination. Great, isn’t it? While feeding teens minds with new adventures, they can come up with solutions to some simple problems in their daily life.
You can help young people get started by dedicating 15 to 20 minutes daily.
3. Help them form healthy habits
Eating better food, drinking enough water, sleeping…the list is so long!
Encourage teenagers to maintain a healthy lifestyle by showing them the advantages of a strong and healthy body for their physical and mental health.
4. Take care of mental health
Promote the psychological well-being of adolescents is necessary as protect them from stressful life situations. Not knowing how to deal with these situations could affect them in the long run, affect their self-esteem and make a big difference in their self-development.
A good mental health is essential for their well-being both at this stage and in adulthood.
5. Teach them to meditate
Meditation is a technique popularized in Occident based on a therapeutic meditation practice that helps reduce stress. It is a practice that begins by paying attention to the breath to focus on the here and now.
This practice can be beneficial from an early age for their self-development, and can make them aware of their emotions and ability to easily manage daily actions.
6. Encourage them to make new friends
Communication is crucial to self-development. Socializing, making friends and building healthy relationships can help everyone connect with others.
Some people find it normal to socialize, while others may struggle a bit more. As a teenager, reaching out to people and joining social circles can be difficult. You can provide them with tips to take small steps and make this an easier habit. It can be as simple as talking to classmates about what they thought of a particular class subject or saying good morning to everyone in their classroom.
7. Bye bye bad habits!
What isn’t working? Push them to make small necessary improvements, and don’t forget to teach them that mistakes have consequences but they also need to learn from them and see how natural results run their course.
8. Emphasize the importance of creativity
Creativity gives you a sense of purpose and also encourages risk-taking. Creativity can lead you to feel fulfilled, be innovative and can promote teenagers to connect with others with the same passion. A creative approach can help teens find their community.
9. Show them how to be inspired
We all have a figure we admire at some point, maybe because they represent someone we want to be in the future or because we admire and respect the work they have put in to get to where they are.
Ask the teenager for a figure they admire, which can help them stay inspired even when they feel defeated.
Help them explore in different aspects of their lives. You can also assist by asking: Does he or she have qualities you would like to have for yourself? How can you acquire those qualities?
10. Teach them the value of volunteering
Volunteer in a specific activity that teenagers identify with can help give them purpose and feel part of the community, while learning values useful for adulthood.
If you are interested in a volunteer program for teenagers, the iMatter program offers young people the opportunity to build their confidence through virtual events and online workshops that will discuss many aspects of mental health and how to cope through musical performances.
For more tips for youth and self-development, visit the source information at ModelMeEarth.
If you still don’t know how to do it, let the iMatter program do it for you. The 10-week plan affiliated with the Music Matters Club, offers young people between 12-18 years old the opportunity to boost their confidence through virtual events, online workshops and volunteerism. From January 18th to March 22nd.
Learn how the iMatter program can benefit you and your community through musical performances through different programs. Contact iMatterProgram(at)gmail.com for more information.