HOBY: An Experience of a Lifetime

Last weekend I went to an amazing youth leadership conference at Bentley University, called HOBY. The main idea behind HOBY was to promote leadership and to discover the hidden potential within teens to make a difference in society. I have to admit, I wasn’t sure how much I would get out of the program when I was first going into it. But I would come to realize that HOBY would far exceed my expectations. The schedule was pretty jam-packed with activities: From attending lectures given by successful guest speakers, to going to a local organization where about 300 of us helped kids in need. I loved all of these experiences.

What impacted me the most were all of the new friends I made. Nearly everyone I met at HOBY, from teens to adults, were very like-minded and we shared common opinions about everyday matters. This made it much easier to quickly make new friends, who I hope to keep in-touch with for a very long time. Bottom line: This experience was life-changing for me, and if I had to sum up the HOBY conference in one word, it would be: OUTSTANDING!

If you get a chance to go to a HOBY conference or something like it; believe me, it will be well worth your time!

The Drive to Drive

If you’re at that age where you’re thinking about getting your learner’s permit… don’t “jump the gun” too soon. You just turned 16 and you’re anxious to go get that permit to get behind the wheel… but ask yourself, are you really ready yet? Driving a car or truck is very serious business.

The best way to prepare yourself is to take a driver’s education course.  Here you’ll learn the rules of the road and get a good understanding of what’s expected.  You’ll also learn a great deal about what it takes and what you should do to be safe. 

Besides preparing yourself through driver’s ed., you really need to have a couple other things in place.  You have to be aware of your surroundings at all times.  And you have to have a certain level of responsibility in order to take this new endeavor seriously. 

There are so many benefits to driving, but remember… driving is a privilege, not a right. To achieve the ability to drive a car, you must reach a certain age, right? Well, in my opinion it’s not so much the age that’s important, but the maturity level you must attain. When the day comes for you to drive, remember to stay aware and always drive responsibly.

When Opportunity Knocks

An opportunity by definition is “an appropriate or favorable time or occasion; a situation or condition favorable for attainment of a goal; a good position, chance or prospect for advancement or success.” (www.dictionary.com 2011)

The important thing is to seize an opportunity when it appears, because these chances will show up, but then often quickly disappear. Opportunities won’t wait for you to just sit around; you have to take action right away. If you don’t, you might lose your chance to take advantage of it.  It could be a long time before it or something like it comes along again, or it may never come along again.  So look at an opportunity that’s in front of you and ask yourself if this would be good for you?  If so . . . go for it . . . that’s what life is all about . . . having great experiences!

Let me give you an example: If your math teacher gives you a chance to re-take a test that you did poorly on, you probably want to grab-a-hold of that opportunity instantly. You can’t wait to tell your teacher that you want to take it later because your teacher will only give you this chance once at a specific time. If you miss this chance, then guess what… you’re stuck with a bad grade.  If you seize the opportunity & retake the test after putting in a little more study effort . . . you could dramatically improve your grade! That’s how opportunities work! They’re in your favor, but not for long if you don’t take action on them. So when the next opportunity knocks, say yes and just do it for your own benefit!

And let me just state, so we’re clear, that everyone needs to use their head about this.  If an “opportunity” comes up that could put you or others in danger, then obviously that’s not the kind of opportunity we’re talking about.  Opportunity, as stated in the 1^st sentence, refers to something positive that you can take advantage of and benefit from.

Impatient?

We’ve all probably felt this way before. Impatience is a strong emotion that stimulates your sense of urgency. This is often due to having a desire to do something, but outside sources are preventing you from doing that thing at that instance.

Example: Have you ever been really anxious for a new movie or video-game to come out?  It probably feels like that moment or day will never come. Well, getting over the impatience is easy… just find something else to do to occupy your time. Simply go have fun doing something else. They say that time flies when you’re having fun!

How about this one?  Have you ever been really bored in a class, itching for it to end so you can move on to something more exciting?  You know what . . . just be patient and try to get the most out of it. There’s not much you can do in that case. But here’s something to consider . . . A lot of times being bored in a class is due to a person’s lack of paying attention.  So what do you do?  You guessed it . . . pay attention!  When you allow your ears to hear and your brain to process the information, you’ll see how the subject suddenly becomes interesting.  It’s just a matter of not letting your mind wander. If you are actively involved in class, the time will seem to go by much faster, and consequently, your impatience will go away.

Grandparents

Some kids absolutely love their grandparents & love spending time with them, while other kids don’t have much to do with their grandparents.  Why is that?   I think that a lot of times, it’s really about getting to know your grandparents.  Sometimes the kid needs to make the effort to show interest. 

One of the best ways to do that is ask your grandparents about their life as a kid.  You’ll be amazed at what kind of stories they’ll tell you!  Some will be happy, some sad, some about difficult times which makes you appreciate your own life.  In most cases, you’ll learn about life back in the days they were young.  This is a really fun way to learn about history & what life was like in those years, or even in another country.

It’s pretty easy to start a conversation like that . . . just ask something specific like what was school like when they were your age; what did they do for fun; what kinds of foods did they eat that might be different than what you’re use to; what did a typical day look like for them. You’ll probably make them smile and help them into a good mood!  The more interest you show in them, the more interested they’ll be in you!  It’s the same sort of thing you’d do with a regular friend.  So just be their friend and you’ll find that the relationship you can have with your grandparents can be among the best you’ll ever have!

And remember, grandparents just want to give love and be loved in return.

Bullies

This is a big and serious topic.  No one likes a bully, except maybe other bullies – but “other bullies” sometimes only pretend to like a bully.  Here’s the thing; no one likes to feel bad, not even the bully.  A bully thinks he can feel good by making others feel bad, but the reality of it is he’s probably doing more harm to himself  than the people he’s bothering. This is actually true, whether he/she knows it or not.  Remember, what you put out comes back to you many times over.  Sometimes you experience it right away; sometimes it takes a while . . . but it always comes back to you, and often in ways you never even though of.  So don’t be a bully!  Bullies are part of the problem in society.  As a human being, you were created to be part of the solution!  When you are part of the solution is when you find your true happiness!

So . . . what about kids who experience the outbursts of the bully?  Well, first of all, let’s try to prevent that altogether by recognizing who they are and staying away from them.  Sometimes that’s unavoidable, I know, but really do your best to avoid them and not even make eye contact with them.  Just be confident in yourself and they’re more likely to leave you alone as bullies like to prey on “easy targets”.  Also, surround yourself with good friends who stick up for each other. 

Most schools today have a Zero Tolerance policy towards bullies.  You should check in your schools handbook to find out how this works.  If you encounter a bully, talk about it with your parents or a trusted adult.  They can often help to give you great suggestions.  Depending on the seriousness and/or frequency of the offense(s), you might find that you or a parent might have to take more serious action according to your school policies.     

Here’s something to think about . . .  this subject wouldn’t even be an issue if we were just all nice to each other! 

Cabin Fever Got the Best of You?

It happens to most of us.  Let’s face it . . . if you live in a cold climate during the winter, being cooped up indoors for months on end due to cold and unfriendly weather conditions can get to you and make you crazy. Boredom sets in, you might find yourself getting easily bothered, and you might even feel depressed.

So what can we do about this?

Well, how about finding ways to enjoy the outdoors when it’s not too bad out.  The snow can be so much fun to play in.  Of course there’s sledding, making snow forts and snow sculptures.  You can make random connecting trails in the snow with your feet to create the chase & capture game of cat & mouse with a few friends – this is a riot and will really warm you up!  There’s also both downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and ice-skating where it’s safe. All these activities can make living in a winter climate really enjoyable.  They’re fun, they warm you up, and you burn off energy!

Otherwise, if the outside is not your thing, you’ll just have to get creative indoors.  This is a great time to break out the board games, and the deck of cards that have been sitting in the closet.  Also a great time learn to play a musical instrument, and for craft projects, painting, drawing, cooking, and learning just about anything you might consider to be a fun hobby.  This is also an excellent time to clear out the clutter and rearrange your room. 

And remember . . . winter doesn’t last forever.  Fortunately we have 3 other seasons to enjoy, and spring is just around the corner!

Confidence- Why Is This So Important?

What is it? 
Confidence is being sure of oneself; having no uncertainty. Confidence is when you believe in yourself and you aren’t afraid of what might happen. A confident individual knows that they have the power to accomplish anything.

Why is it important?  
Confidence is crucial to achieve success. People like being around others who are confident.  People respect others who are confident.  People feel confident around others who are confident and feel they can trust the confident person.  People want to do business with others who are confident. Image a hairstylist for example who wasn’t confident.  Would you pay them to sit in their chair and cut your hair if they can’t even handle the scissors properly?

How do you achieve confidence?
It’s all about putting yourself in the proper mindset. Keep telling yourself, that you will do well at anything you set your mind to. And keep practicing things that you may be afraid of.  As you continue to get better through repetition, this will boost your confidence and will help you overcome the fears that hold you back.

And remember, if you want respect (and who doesn’t) be confident and be nice.  That’s a winning combination!

Why Do Community Service?

First off, what is community service? Well, it’s exactly what it sounds like: it’s any form of non-profit help or assistance you give to the community. This could be like cleaning up a park in town, staying after school to tutor other students, or helping your community food bank. This is an obligation that usually goes hand-in-hand with high school. In my school, if you don’t fulfill all your hours of community service, then you aren’t aloud to graduate. Needless to say, this is a pretty big deal for some people.

But why is it that some just don’t want to do it?  Do you realize that the benefits, not only to others, but to you – outweigh your “sacrifice”?   When you offer your assistance to the community, you are most likely helping a lot more people than you would imagine. A simple park clean-up helps everyone who uses the park—the workers and the clientele.  When the park is clean, it’s safer so people can avoid certain injuries.   Not to mention, all the garbage in a park will draw people away from that public area. And, pay attention to this . . . when you provide assistance, you will be drawing more positive things into your own life. So, not only is it important to many others whom you’re helping, but it’s important to you, for your own benefit, to give to the world and offer a helping-hand.

Not sure how to help?  Look around and discover ways.  You can ask your school principal, public administrators, local charities, and even local churches.  Point is, there’s always someone who could use your help.  When you help out, you assist others & make others happy & you will be assisting yourself and will feel great about what you did!

Work Now, Play Later

This is a principle you should live by your life long.  Kids should do this as well as adults.  It’s something you ought to be doing every day.  It’s also important to have balance in your day, so here’s the best way to do that:

Know what you have to do every day.  Making a list is helpful.  Do the important things first.  Some things on your list might be homework, study for a test, write a report, and chores.  Once you get the “work” done, then is the time to do the things you like.  At that point, go out, play, & have fun!

Starting on this path while you’re young, will help you tremendously as an adult.  That’s important because when you’re an adult, that’s when you can really create the lifestyle you want if you have good habits and good work ethics in place.  So start now and practice this every day!