The world is changing at an ever-increasing rate. Twenty years ago, we would never have believed how much technology would shape our lives. Our world has become a global one. This new world brings devices that make everyday tasks easier. However, this changing world creates a growing list of obstacles facing our youth. Obstacles that loom large in many of their lives, presenting seeming insurmountable barriers. Youth motivational speakers are prime examples of teenagers facing, yet overcoming these barriers.
Do Today's Youth Face Bigger Obstacles than We Did?
Peer pressure has existed throughout time, in different forms and from different groups. However, it has its greatest influence in the lives of teenagers, when their peer group takes precedence over their family. Peer pressure can be positive, students vying to be the stopgap student in their class or pushing each other to run the fastest track time. It can also be negative, pushing teenagers to smoke, take drugs, or other possible self-harming actions in order to be popular, to be like everyone else.
The dominance of media in today's society brings another form of pressure to bear. Girls look at the supermodels as the desired way to look (an unattainable goal), often resulting in feelings of inferiority and unworthiness. Boys look at the sports stars and put all their self-worth into their performance as athletes. A goal that is often impossible, leaving them feeling like they do not measure up to society's standards.
Bullying has become an epidemic. It seems that every day there is another news story about a case of bullying and its devastating effects on innocent lives. Social media provides a forum for bullies to feel more powerful, able to spread their darkness throughout their social circles and beyond. Victims of bullying often experience feelings of depression, low self-esteem, and alienation, and all too often these stories end tragically, with a teenager feeling that they no longer can face life.
Would bringing in youth motivational speakers be helpful to our school?
Yes, the obstacles seem bigger today than they were in the past. However, that does not make it impossible to overcome. We need to ensure that today's youth understand this, that while life is often difficult, there is always a way to push through. The tunnel may look dark and never-ending but somewhere it does open up into the light.
Youth motivational speakers help youth learn how to overcome these obstacles. By sharing their life stories full of seemingly overwhelming difficulties, they teach that perseverance and believing in oneself can move mountains. Talking openly about their own struggles and how they rose above them teaches others that everyone has their own strengths and abilities to help them deal with life. When their own strength is not sufficient, there are others to provide them with a helping hand. They provide our youth with renewed hope for their future.
Youth motivational speakers demonstrate that failing is not the end of the world, and that, in fact, failure often leads to even greater success. Failing is not a legitimate reason to give up on oneself; it is a learning experience to be used as a tool to succeed in the future.
So, yes, the youth of today do face more plentiful and greater obstacles. However, those obstacles do not have to be the winner. As we recognize these difficulties we need to empower our youth with the feelings of self-worth and confidence necessary to move past life's difficulties and experience the success they so richly deserve.
Today, there is a variety of youth motivational speakers going around to schools and other organizations to provide teenagers with this empowerment. Their life experiences vary drastically, as does their strategy for overcoming obstacles. One such speaker is Brad Hurtig. After finishing his sophomore year of high school, he was in a horrible accident, which resulted in the amputation of both hands. He now shares his story and how he went on to lead his football team as a starting linebacker in order to help others recognize that they too can overcome obstacles and failures in their life. Contact us today to have Brad speak at your next assembly!
