Teen Self

What were you like as a teen? And what adjectives would others use to describe your teen self?

Of course it’s all in hindsight, but I’d say that I was:

• inclusive

• good friend

• confident and very insecure (not just about my bad Jersey hair and braces)

• athletic and outdoorsy (just a hunch, since I hadn’t been ‘in nature’)

• family and friends first ;)

When I ask clients to describe what kind of kid they were, some of the men are hesitant and say, “Oh well, we don’t need to talk about that in the letter.”

But who we were is part of who we are, even the mischievous parts.

David said:

“When I was in high school, there was one fight in particular that made me an icon. I was small, but I had taken boxing lessons. A kid who was somewhat of a gang leader was picking on a disabled guy in gym class. I remember saying something like,

“Why don’t you pick on somebody your own size?”

He started swinging at me and I beat him up. I had learned to stick up for what I believed in and for myself, instead of just going with the crowd, or withdrawing, or being fearful. I think I’ve been somewhat so since then.”

I texted my best friend from high school (Columbia High School woot woot!) and here’s how she described me as a teen:

• fun and smiley

• insecure

• athletic

• smart, but not terribly studious

• a good daughter

A couple are surprising, for sure. What’s most interesting is to think about where these traits came from, how they showed up and served me (or not) and how I’ve evolved since then.

What were you like as a teen? How did your teen self inform who you are today? Your family definitely wants to know you.