The teen years are a short and unique time in life. They are exciting years when people’s potential is often held back. The world has very low expectations for teenagers in this day and age since we are suddenly a whole category of our own. Most don’t realize that the word “teenager” did not exist until the 1940s. It has been around for less than one hundred years! Before “teenager” was its own category, growing children were either a child or an adult. There were not seven in-between years. Children were given big responsibilities beginning around the age of 11, and they were expected to behave and do the work of full-grown men and women around the age of 15. Today what are teenagers expected to do? Write your list, but it may sound something along the lines of: go to school, pass their classes, have social media, be tech savvy, go to parties, enjoy themself, and be less capable than adults. Do you want those qualities to be your defining characteristics as a teen?
I’m here to tell you the truth that teens are capable of so much more! Don’t waste these exciting years of life. You can do big things. It might be hard, but what better time to do it? When else will you have the opportunities that you have now? You still live in the home of supportive parents; your school and teachers are your venues. During this stage, there are so many people ready to help you. You have the foundation you need and a springboard under your feet. Don’t let your springs go unused. You have classmates to accompany you on your journey. You won’t have to do it alone. Seize every opportunity you are given to do something big or something hard. Try new things, grow to your full potential, and always strive to be more mature than you were before. Persevere with a good purpose. Endure for God. Prove yourself to yourself, to God, and those around you. Let everyone around you be continually surprised by your determination. Never be held back by being just “good enough” or “passable.” Ask yourself, what else can I do? What more can I give?
That all sounds motivational and great, but how do we make it a reality? What’s the first step? My answer is to practice doing hard things, what’s hard for you, what you’ve decided to neglect because it is hard. Ask yourself: What practical things are hard for me? If you struggle to faithfully make your bed each morning, maybe that’s your first big step. That is just one example, so try thinking of your own. What have you been pushing off because it has the “hard” label on it? Now make a plan to face that hard thing. Doing small hard things is going to help you grow, and God will make you stronger through them. You will grow in confidence and maturity. If you always shrink because “other people would be better at this” or “I’ve never done it before” you’ll never be able to be the wonderful human God called you to be.
What if we started doing things purely because they’re hard? What if the fact that they’re hard motivated us? Let’s choose to do hard things. Not always choose the hardest option, but the most truthful and practical option which might end up being hard. It takes a new mindset, time, and practice, but I can testify it has worked for me. I am no longer scared of things I don’t know how to do, but I face them being empowered by my understanding that I can do hard things! When I begin to think: “Aw man, I don’t want to do that! It’s so boring, so physically taxing, or too time-consuming,” I remind myself that I can and should do it because I am going to rise above expectations. As teens, are we going to shrink away from everything that looks or feels too imposing? Nothing is too hard when we work with God’s help. He will help us in ways that no one else can, and He’s always there for us 100% of the time. He will help you rise to the occasion.
What is your identity right now? Think about it. What if you could say: I will not cower at the sight of big things being asked of me. I will dive into them with confidence, because God is on my side, and I am capable of doing hard things. I am a child of God, I am _______ _______ (your name), and this one gets hard things done. I will work hard to accomplish what is asked. Whether it’s a huge task or being faithful in a small task. And often the smallest tasks are the hardest. But what if you viewed those small tasks as the biggest accomplishments? What if you not only viewed them that way, but they are that way? Facing the back burner tasks grows character in huge ways. It accomplishes much more on the inside than it might seem on the outside.
If you’re given responsibility, take it with enthusiasm. Brainstorm the possibilities and opportunities. Build for yourself the reputation you want people to know. Maybe the opportunities haven’t shown up yet, but that doesn’t mean you just waste away waiting for them. Instead, train for them! Practice responsibility around your house and on your sports team. Be the first to step up and help carry bags, fill the water jug, and bring an extra water bottle. Volunteer to grab something for your teacher. Be confident, and be ready to dive into something new. Even if you don’t feel confident on the inside, you can inspire confidence on the outside.
Don’t let this precious short time go to waste. What is your ideal? What do you hope to be like? What virtues do you want to have? What do you want to be known for? What do you want people to fill in the blank with: “Oh yeah! I know her! She is so _________” What should be in that blank? Determined? Full of perseverance? Hard-working? Always looking out for others?
I can say with confidence that you grow more through experience than anything else. People mature greatly when given responsibility and then have to rise to the occasion. These years are the best training years of your life. Discover more about yourself. Identify your goal of character. Maybe it’s a life goal, or maybe it’s just your next checkpoint. Small or big, make progress! In the words of Martin Luther King Jr., “If you can’t be a highway at least be a trail… If you can’t fly, run. If you can’t run, walk. If you can’t walk, crawl but by all means, keep moving!” Teach those younger than you, to pass on all of your life wisdom. Tell others about what you’re learning and discovering about this world. Don’t let the box of your personality keep you back from doing hard things. Maybe being shy or insecure is one of the biggest things that holds you back. But You Can Do Hard Things. What is hard for you is what you can do!! Identify what’s hard for you, start with baby steps and strive to push through the difficulty. You are capable! Rise to the occasion. Volunteer yourself. Start a revival! God loves you and He is so ready to grow and mature you in so many ways as soon as you start challenging yourself to fulfill your full potential.
By Elisabeth Halberstadt ‘27, Contributing Writer
