“You may think you are too young to mull over the word “purpose.” You are not. The adolescent stage has a beautiful purpose.
Whether you like it or not, your family plays a big part in honing your purpose both in the good and in the not good things.
You may resist your parents’ rules or ask why your siblings are doing so. You can even check if your principles in the family fit with that of your peers. It is OK. This is part of the magical stage of adolescence. And do you know the best part of this time in your life? To help you find your purpose.
Psychology theorist Erik Erikson said that our goal in this stage is to find our “identity.” In finding your identity, you explore three important areas:
- Who am I?
- Where am I going in life?
- Where is my place in this world?
These three questions are in the fiber of your unconscious. This teenage stage is the bridge from childhood to the more complicated world of adulthood.
Here are some things to keep in mind as you go through this stage:
- Seek inward, not outward.
- Never compare yourself to others.
- Focus on your strengths and special traits.
- Be with people who will help you grow
- See God’s hand in your inner life, leading you to your outer purpose.
So instead of reacting to our parents’ irrational rule, understand why they make rules. If you want to be alone instead of being with your family, know that they are family and they will stick with you forever.
The teenage years is the time when you put together the pieces of who you are, your past experiences, your skills and uniqueness, idiosyncrasies, and mistakes. These are the ingredients that will help build your identity. These are parts of you that will lead you to a bigger purpose. Your family is one of the main ingredients to help you become the person God made you to be.
This article originally appeared in Fish magazine Volume 16, but has since been updated.