style="font-size:15px;"> Look, I'm pretty sure you're switched on to this stuff. You probably look after yourself more than the media would give you credit for.
But too many of us are tired. Bored. Fed up. Stressed. Angry.
I can assure you though, there is a solution and it's cheap.
No, it's not a Red Bull on the way to school. Or a Monster to get you through your studies. It's way more healthy than that. Your body and brain are not built for those drinks, hence the reason you would die if you drank too many of them. Literally, don't drink them, ever.
When I say the solution is cheap, it is. It doesn't cost any money, but it does cost time and energy. And better still, you're built to do it….
What if the secret was in our heads – more specifically our thinking – and we could maintain some of that youthful, carefree exuberance that we had when we were 4, but now, in your teens and for the rest of your life before society snaps you up and pops you on the treadmill to Grownupsville?
It was a different kind of energy at that age, never forced. You weren't fussed about the news. Life excited you. You had zero issues with Mondays and puddles were not to be avoided.
‘Only children believe they’re capable of everything.’
—Paulo Coelho
Growing Up Is Optional
Think back to when you were about 7 years old and your teacher gave you a reading book that you had already read the year before with your previous teacher.
How'd that make you feel?
I'll tell you how it made the kids feel the first time I made that mistake as a teacher.
Furious. They were furious with me.
Why?
Because at the age of 7, we want nothing more than to be moved up a reading level. The only thing we want more than that is for all our classmates to see, hear and hopefully acknowledge that we've been moved up!
In fact, the only thing we want more than this is to see the look of pride on our parents’ faces.
This was one of the many things that amazed me during my time as a teacher.
‘HANG ON, YOU'RE A TEACHER, GAV? WHEN WERE YOU GOING TO TELL US THIS?!’
Ok, so I managed to squeeze in a teaching degree along the way. I'm qualified to teach kids aged 3–12.
Every single day as a primary school teacher young kids amazed me. There are so many moments of inspiration. Like when the queues form at the teacher's desk. You've all stood in those queues. There are loads of reasons why kids stand in them but there's 2 big ones.
The first is to ask for help. This really is a biggie.
I like to imagine we're all born with the unique ability to ask for help. It's such a natural thing to ask for when we're very young. But it's like we un‐learn this skill. By the time we've hit our teens asking for help can feel silly, embarrassing or even weak. There is nothing weak in asking for help, in fact, quite the opposite. Asking for help is what makes us stronger. It connects us with others, allowing us to surround ourselves with people that make us feel good and encourage all sorts of new learning and adventure. Asking for help can create optimism and hope. Be sure to do it more.
Another thing that always amazed me as a primary school teacher was those moments I was sitting doing my work as all the kids were doing theirs, and the queue formed to my right‐hand side. Now we've all stood in that queue, we know what it's like. It usually consists of a row of children with great big smiles on their faces, saying something along the lines of ‘I'm finished, what's next?’ It's like an absolute need at that age, a want and desire to learn, to progress, to prove themselves and to embrace the next challenge. We don't care what others think. We're ready, willing and more than able to take on the world, to be the best we can be, to dream and to think big.
You see, this is what inspires me most about wee kids. They always want to know what's next. They crave information and every single day as a teacher my mind was completely and utterly blown by the energy, passion, excitement and drive that those wee kids had, simply for what's next.
But there's a problem with being that age. And it's this …
We stop being that age.
That's it.
I'll say it again.
We stop being that age.
There's a technical term for it: ‘growing up’.
We leave primary school … and off we go into Teenagerland. You may also call it high school. A magical land filled with hopes and dreams. A future‐focussed paradise filled with ambition and desire. A training ground for growing up, fitting in and dealing with change.
Some people consider it a breeze; others do not. Some people consider it a portal to a better life; others do not. Some people consider it a prison full of assholes; others do not.
Everyone thinks differently when it comes to high school. One thing I can guarantee, however, is that in Teenagerland we do our most thinking. Not necessarily our best thinking but we definitely do our most thinking.
But it is our thinking and thinking alone that will determine the experience we have as a teenager. And as all the experts tell us, happiness doesn't come from things, it comes from experiences.
Broccoli and Eyeballs
I believe that in growing up too many of us lose something special. Very special. Some hold on to it forever, for others it comes and goes, but for many, it just disappears entirely. I'm going to refer to it as ‘that wee piece of magic’. It's a natural thing that we're all born with. I see it in my own two kids every day.
So what do I actually mean by ‘that wee piece of magic’? Let me try and explain… . About three months before my son's 5th birthday we woke at 4 am to the sound of him screaming ‘DAAAAD’ as loud as he possibly could. I got the fright of my life and leapt out my bed.
In fact, I didn't even touch the bed, I just landed on two feet and ran for the door (because that's how ninjas respond). As I headed for the door Kian came running into the room still shouting, ‘DAAAAD!’ Obviously concerned, I stopped him and asked ‘What on earth is it Kian? It's 4 in the morning. What's the matter?’
Perfectly calm, Kian smiled and
