A Message From Your Teenage Brain

A message from your Brain.

“Hey, so yeah, I'm really sorry about all the impulsiveness and emotionally charged actions that I seem like I'm instructing you to make. I am growing and developing into a fully developed adult brain, one day we will be adults and we will master this life, I just need a bit of time.

All the mistakes we’re making are important, they're helping US develop analytical and abstract thinking skills, interpersonal and relationship skills and self-regulation (to name a few); which as an adult we'll need. We will look back and be so thankful we learned this stuff now.

Don't blame it all on your hormones. 

They're doing an amazing job of making sure your body grows and develops correctly so that one day you can have that all important family of your own.

If I can just ask you to do a few things for me, for US, it's so important that we work together on this one, now is OUR time.

Firstly take risks; but take risks doing activities that allow you to take controlled, measured risks like yoga or rock climbing, rather than alcohol-fuelled risks like the 'chilli challenge' or any new crazes that come your way.

Feed me, nurture me and educate me. I'm having a massive growth spurt right now and I'm malleable. I have this huge potential to learn a huge amount of information, so make sure the activities you choose do are varied and challenging. Please don't feed me endless mindless crap. What that girl from school is doing, kissing, wearing is NOT interesting to me! Take time to allow me to relax and 'not think'; allow me the space to just be and not worry endlessly about everything.

And if you want to balance your hormones look after your body - don't fill it with sugar, alcohol, caffeine or drugs. 

You don't need these things to feel confident, awake or happy. Everything you need is within you. Our potential is massive - all we have to do is work together and make sure I'm fed the right stuff; but that's down to you. 

You need to make the right choices for me - your brain.

So what I really need you to do is make sure you do varied and challenging activities: move, dance, play, listen to music, sing, climb, run, stretch, balance, breathe, be still, challenge, test out, push yourself, see what your capable of, must most of all.... realise the brilliance that is already within you.

You can find this brilliance in the space between breaths, whilst doing what comes most naturally to you, whilst holding a wheel posture for one breath longer than before. 

That thing we used to do when we were little - that thing we are too scared to do now in case someone laughs or makes fun of us, that thing we used to get praised for, that thing we obsessed about when we were 6; DO THAT, because that is what were are meant to be doing. 

The answer to every question you hold is within you, its not out ‘there’. We will get through this; and if we can work together we will emerge from this better equipped, more resilient and happier than ever. All the problems we face now are just temporary - we can do this - you and me. 

So stay strong, stay grounded and connect to you heart as much as you can. 

Try that yoga class - because it’s just what we need.

Namaste.

I was lucky enough for my Yoga Training School to accept one of my blogs - "It's not my Hormones, it's my AMYGDALA!' A factual account of why we shouldn't label teenagers behaviour 'just their hormones', which under todays advances in neuroscience, is factually incorrect. You can read that blog here. But beneath is a sneaky peek for you - a message from a teenage brain to the teenager.... Please share it with all the teens you know!