Personal Growth in Teens and why it’s important and what you can do to help.

During the teen years this is the time to explore, learn, and discover both internally and externally. And during this time is when teens find their uniqueness and this will then develop into their adult lives. These years are crucial for teens and their personal growth. 

However, in today's world and society this time is now overshadowed by modern day stressors such as social media, having the need to be popular and making sure your future is set out perfectly. It has been found that these stressors are a major factor into teens' struggle with depression. Depression affects 1 in 4 young adults in Australia. 

Why personal growth is essential in teens

Have you heard or seen the experiment where you put a white rose into coloured water, and in a few hours the petals are the colour of the water? Well a teens brain works in a similar way - what they put into their brain they absorb. Studies have found that when a teens brain develops it draws from the surroundings they are in, this then makes the brain more vulnerable to mental health issues. From research it is also known that trauma, PTSD and hurtful events will slow the adolescent development down. If this is left untreated it can affect their emotional, mental, physical and intellectual progression.

But there is good news! Teenages brains are very resilient and past trauma markers can be healed. With the right tools teens overcome and heal their trauma in a healthy and safe environment. 

What are the areas that teens need to focus on for their personal growth? 

• Developing a strong sense of self-identity and self-love
• Developing self-confidence and self-esteem 
• Learning to manage emotions and stress
• Developing communication and social skills 
• Discovering healthy habits and lifestyle choices 
• Developing decision making skills

How can you help your teen’s personal growth? 

The pathways are endless. Here are some quick tips: 

1. Encourage your teen to journal. This allows them to express their feelings and emotions freely and go through their thoughts. But, you have to respect their privacy - never read their journal unless they give you permission. 
2. Motivate rather than discourage your teen from questioning and examining things. 
3. Suggest them to plan their day the night before. This will help their unconscious figure out a starting point for the day when they sleep. 
4. Use a study or focus timer. Work in intervals of 40 minutes to focus followed by 10 minutes of fun. Depending on the workload, this should be repeated, but remember to make every third fun break a least 30 minutes long. 

Implementing these steps will take time, and that’s okay. You just have to be consistent and the results will happen.