The complete list of all life-guiding messages for young people – click the titles for further information
Your opinion matters a lot to your siblings. We often work on our relationships with friends, schoolmates and co-workers; our family relationships need work too. Small acts of support can go a long way.
Breakups hurt, but losing someone who doesn’t respect and appreciate you is actually a gain, not a loss.
Instead of letting past disappointments paralyse your actions, choose a moment of strength and empowerment to motivate you to do something now.
At any moment you can let go of the weight of who you used to be and allow yourself a better chance of becoming who you want to be.
The best time to add money to your savings is just after you’ve been paid. Set up a Standing Order on your bank account to automatically move some money to your savings account on, or just after, pay day.
The easiest way to get your savings working for you is to add a little bit each month to your savings automatically; you won’t have to remember to make the payment and you won’t be tempted to skip a month.
It’s easy to get upset if people or parents compare you and your siblings. Remember that you’re very different people with different talents, interests and abilities; recognise these positive attributes and value your siblings for their different qualities.
Sometimes sibling fights can escalate to physical violence, especially if one feels defensive. Remember that violence is never an acceptable way to deal with feelings, and will hurt you both, both physically and emotionally.
We often think we know what other people are thinking, and assume they are focused on our faults and weaknesses. But this is often wrong. Ask yourself, “How do I know what other people are thinking? Just because I assume something, does that mean I’m right?”
You don’t need to play the self-blame game: personalising everything and blaming yourself for anything that goes wrong, even when it’s not your fault or responsibility. Instead, find all the causes. What else could explain it? Is it really all about you?