In an age of instant gratification and information at the click of a button, how often do we stop and think about the fact that the only way to truly get somewhere is to actually do the work?  Put the time in?  Learn something we can use in the future?  Talk to people with real listening skills?  It all takes work and it all takes time.

Need to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)?  As an international student applying to an American college or university, this is a test that you may be required to take in order to demonstrate your English language skills.  Consider individually tailored preparation through SupportEd.  Contact Linda Barnes, M.A. at lindabarnes@supportedllc.com for more information.

What an adolescent does is just as important as what he or she doesn’t do.

Take a look at the Search Institute’s list of all of developmental assets that help to insure that adolescents become successful and healthy adults.  The more of these that are present in your child’s life, the better.

One of the most critical aspects of my job as a School Counselor is to be a caring adult in the lives of the children with whom I have worked.  It is imperative that children (especially adolescents) have caring adults in their lives on whom they can count, in addition to parent(s) or a parent figure.

40 Developmental Assets® for Adolescents (ages 12-18)

Search Institute® has identified the following building blocks of healthy development—known as Developmental Assets®—that help young people grow up healthy, caring, and responsible.

1. Family support –  Family life provides high levels of love and support.
2. Positive family communication –  Young person and his/her parent(s) communicate positively,   and young person is wiling to seek advice and counsel from parent(s).
3. Other adult relationships – Young person receives support from three or more non-parent  adults.
4. Caring neighborhood – Young person experiences caring neighbors.
5. Caring school climate – School provides a caring, encouraging environment.
6. Parent involvement –  Parent(s) are actively involved in helping young person succeed in        school.
7. Community values youth – Young person perceives that adults in the community value youth.
8. Youth as resources – Young people are given useful roles in the community.
9. Service to others – Young person serves in the community one hour or more per week.
10. Safety –  Young person feels safe at home, school, and in the neighborhood.
11. Family boundaries – Family has clear rules and consequences and monitors the young  person’s whereabouts.
12. School boundaries – School provides clear rules and consequences.
13. Neighborhood boundaries – Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring young people’s behavior.
14. Adult role models – Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behavior.
15. Positive peer influence – Young person’s best friends model positive behavior.
16. High expectations – Parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well.
17. Creative activities – Young person spends three or more hours per week in lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts.
18. Youth programs – Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school and/or in the community.
19. Religious community – Young person spends one or more hours per week in activities in a religious institution.
20. Time at home – Young person is out with friends “with nothing special to do” two or fewer nights per week.
21. Achievement motivation – Young person is motivated to do well in school.
22. School engagement – Young person is actively engaged in learning.
23. Homework – Young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day.
24. Bonding to school – Young person cares about his/her school.
25. Reading for pleasure – Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per week.
26. Caring – Young person places high value on helping other people.
27. Equality and social justice – Young person places high value on promoting equality and reducing hunger and poverty.
28. Integrity – Young person acts on convictions and stands up for his or her beliefs.
29. Honesty – Young person “tells the truth even when it is not easy”.
30. Responsibility – Young person accepts and takes personal responsibility.
31. Restraint – Young person believes it is important not to be sexually active or to use alcohol and other drugs.
32. Planning and decision making – Young person knows how to plan ahead and make choices.
33. Interpersonal competence – Young person has empathy, sensitivity and friendship skills.
34. Cultural competence – Young person knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds.
35. Resistance skills – Young person can resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situations.
36. Peaceful conflict resolution – Young person seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently.
37. Personal power – Young person feels he or she has control over “things that happen to me”.
38. Self-esteem – Young person reports having a high self-esteem.
39. Sense of purpose – Young person reports that “my life has a purpose”.
40. Positive view of personal future – Young person is optimistic about his or her personal future.

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The following are registered trademarks of Search Institute: Search Institute®, Developmental Assets® and Healthy Communities • Healthy Youth®.

 

 

 

Thomas A. Edison said, “If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.”  Even though scientists have debunked the notion that we only use 10% of our brains, I believe that Edison’s words ring true.  In fact, how much could we do if we really tried?  We often surprise ourselves when we do things we never thought we could.  Think about it… when was the last time you accomplished something you never thought you would be able to do?  Are you stronger, smarter and better than you believe?

 

Ever feel you just keep pushing on a door that won’t open, and suddenly realize that you are supposed to pull it?

Why do people do the same things over and over again when the things they are doing don’t work?   I sometimes like to refer to this as “spinning your wheels”.   What happens when you spin the wheels of a vehicle?  You make a rut!  Keep spinning and soon you are stuck in that rut.  Ruts can develop out of frustration, and an inability to step outside of the situation and consider doing something differently.

Habits are easy to develop, and hard to break.

My challenge to you?

Try doing one thing differently.