pay attention to the good

I counsel a lot of teenagers. I see teenagers with behavior problems, depression, anxiety, self-injury, and other difficulties.

Despite whatever their problem may be, I see many teens that believe they will never be able to please their parents. They feel like they can never be good enough. And so, after a while, many teens simply quit trying.

Here's a reminder for us all: Remember to focus on all the things your teens are doing RIGHT.

It's really easy to focus on problems while forgetting to acknowledge and encourage strengths (well, this happens in other relationships too!). I know I'm guilty of this.

Today I'm reminding myself to encourage all the good things about the folks in my life. If you have teens, please take the time to praise their efforts. I know that it means a lot.