Preparing Young Adults for Their Lives Ahead
Becoming a young adult. Suddenly, you have to accept responsibilities for your life. You have the world opening up to you. You have to make decisions and make a pathway for your life in an instant.
It’s overwhelming — scary and exciting all at the same time.
Questions pop into your head….
Are there things I want to know? Do I want to ask someone who has successfully walked that path? Do I need them to tell me how I can manage to go through this complicated thing called life?
In today’s blog, you are given the chance to sit down for a few minutes and talk to someone older, wiser, and experienced — a life coach to give you the advice that would hopefully prepare you at this point of your life.
The Advice
“At any given moment, you have the power to say: this is not how the story is going to end.” — Christine Mason Miller
Ageing is frequently portrayed as a relentless foe, robbing us of our youth and vigour, but hear me out: it has its advantages.
It enables us to reflect on the past and gather insight from our experiences; appreciate the decisions we've made; and look forward to the future with open arms. Although we can never foretell what lies ahead, we may face the unknown optimistically.
Still. most of us fantasize in some way about how our lives might have turned out differently if only….
We'd taken more chances with our careers
We'd ditched tutoring lessons for house parties
We'd moved to another city
We’d chosen a different course
However, as time passes, you understand that things were meant to happen the way they did because one occurrence led to another.
People are brought into your life to teach you something. Things that felt dreadful, unpleasant, or unfair at the time happened for a reason. And in retrospect, you see that things happened to help you grow stronger.
So as a life coach, here are some of the pieces of advice I would like to give to your young adult self:
#1 You don't look for life’s meaning
When I was your age, I was obsessed with discovering what I was "meant to do" in life. Believe me, this can be overwhelming, perplexing, and shame-inducing. So here’s what I discovered being a life coach: finding is a passive process; it requires something or someone to appear in order for us to achieve what we seek. It is beyond our control.
So, rather than seeking life’s meaning, it's better to create the meaning. From having no control to having control.To engage in projects and activities that are relevant to us. We move from passive to active mode when we accomplish this.
#2 You’re always growing
I used to believe that I was born with certain traits and skills. That was until I was at my lowest and understood I wasn't wired to be fixed, but rather ever-changing.
I just need to shift my narrative if I want to be happier. Maybe that involves writing it down in a journal, expressing thankfulness to others, and practising seeing things in a good light.
You don't need to be afraid of failing since you're continually growing, and everything is a stepping stone to something better.
The same is true for what we’re good at. Start dancing if you want to be a dancer. Start reading, acting, and thinking like an entrepreneur if you want to be one. That's the beauty of it all—you made it all yourself.
#3 Wisely choose who you seek advice to
People enjoy giving unsolicited advice. But here's the thing: people give advice based on who they are, not who you are. As a life coach, I’ve learned that it is best to only seek advice from people who have travelled the same (or a similar) path as you. That way you could feel the connection become deeper by sharing something common between the two of you. They could even give you concrete examples of what you seek to find.
#4 It’s okay to not know what you’re passionate about… yet
"Follow your passion." How many times have you heard this phrase and thought, "But I'm not sure what my passion is!” Or, "I have too many interests and don't know which one to pursue."
It's fantastic if you know what you're passionate about. If not, don't be too concerned. Instead of focusing on discovering your passion, begin following your curiosity. In life, there is no specific timetable. It will simply come to you.
#5 Invest in experiences rather than things
I used to spend a lot of time deliberating more for my wants rather than my needs. However, being a life coach taught me not to place my happiness in them.
Our lives are shaped by our experiences. They assist us in opening doors to new people, cultures, perspectives, and potentially even a new environment. It’s okay to treat yourself once in a while but make sure to put your money to good use.
Build a strong professional and personal network. Relationships are often key to career opportunities and personal growth.
#6 Life is always in the present moment
We all had sleepless nights spent worrying about the future or reflecting on the past. It would certainly take up more of my precious sleeping time, something I’m longing to have now.
Our mind enjoys diverting our attention away from the present moment. But this is where life is happening.
We can't have a complete experience if our bodies are in one location and our minds are elsewhere. And isn't that why we're here? To truly appreciate life. So stay present, and let thoughts of the past and future be fleeting like a passing mist.
#7 Be patient with your goals
Many young people desire to be doctors, lawyers, pharmacists, and teachers right now! They're like, "Let's go!" That was certainly my impression.
The only problem is that you're at least four years away from doing what you really want to do because those jobs demand a college degree and, in many cases, a graduate degree.
What is the answer? Patience. It may not be what you want to hear, but it is what you require.
It takes time for anything wonderful to grow. You will need more information, experience, and maturity to handle your career successfully. If you started now, you'd probably fail miserably and be put off for good.
Furthermore, this buildup period is frequently a lifesaver because it allows you to choose a vocation that is more suited to your interests.
#8 Connections are better than academics.
We always thought that good grades would be the key to a successful life. Who wouldn’t want to have good grades? Yes, they’ve given me more knowledge and practical skills, but it's not my grades that have changed the game; it's my connections.
Knowing the right people and connecting on a deeper level is far more powerful than any written word. Of course, this is dependent on the type of opportunity you want. Looking back, what helped me during my university years was not the marks I received; it was the connections I established.
#9 Everybody is doing their best.
This is something I sincerely believe. Everyone, no matter how irritating, self-destructive, or provoking they appear, is constantly doing their best based on their mood, experience, and level of consciousness.
I used to feel irritated or angry if someone was unpleasant, pessimistic, or didn't complete projects on time. Already having had my lowest, I realized that I am not in a position to pass judgment. I'm not sure what they're fighting. I don’t have any idea about what's going on in their lives. All I have faith in is that if I were in their place, I would do the same thing. This viewpoint has saved me a lot of energy to focus on myself and led me to who I am now – a life coach for young adults.
#10 Understand your "why."
We frequently focus on what we do or how we do it. We rarely question why we do it. If I had looked further into my "whys" when I was your age, I would have felt more connected to myself.
When I figured out what my "why" was, it became evident that I wanted to be a life coach — to work with people like you, own my own business, and be able to help them reach their goals.
Investigating the "why" narrows down what's significant. The lack of a clear "why" demonstrates that what we're aiming for isn't worthwhile.
Life has an unexpected way of pointing you in the right direction. Take you, reading this blog right now for example. The circumstances that led you here show how the universe has found a way to tell you something that you need to hear at this particular moment in time.
If you want to hear more of the pieces of advice I could give for you, you can book a FREE consultation with me today!