WHO ARE YOU GOING TO BE?

This week I want to talk about the future as I find it the scariest thing to talk or even think about. There’s so much pressure on teenagers and even children to have a plan on what they’re going to and where they’re going with their lives. But what do you do if you don’t have a plan? How do you know what career you want when you’re only 17 when you’re still figuring out who you are and what you want from life now, let alone what you might want in 10 years. Some people are lucky enough to have a dream and are determined to see it through whether it's to be a doctor, a scientist, an actor, a singer, the prime minister or just happy with a family of their own, but even if you have a goal how do you get there? You won't be the only one with that dream or the only one who's good enough to get it. So what makes you stand out from the rest? Whether you have a goal or not don't despair their are pro's and cons to both but the most important thing to remember is to go with whatever's right for you. It's your life and you're only going to have one shot at it. 

Scenario 1

So you're 17 and you have to decide if you want to go to university or not and what you want to study, but you have no idea what you want to do with your life yet so therefore you don't know what course you might be interested in doing or even if you want to go to university and it's not like you have ample time to decide! Universities are having open days and every adult you know keeps on pounding you with that same question; 

"So what do you want to do with your life?" 

The answer?  

"I have no idea! I haven't figured it out yet!"

But the pressures still on so you end up rushing into the decision and a few years down the line you have a degree you don't want, thousands of pounds in debt for no reason because you didn't want that degree in the first place and then stuck in a job that...guess what...YOU DON'T WANT! So just take a moment to step back. You don't know what you want to do yet, so you don't about university yet and I'm guessing that you don't want to be thousands of pounds deep in debt for no reason. So take a step back and take a year out to decide what you want to do! You could go travelling, climb Mount Everest, volunteer in the depths of Africa to look after lions and tigers and bears (oh my!) or just stay at home, find a job to do that'll earn you a bit of money to put towards that university fund and take the time you need to "find your calling" (yep I went there) and you never know, you may decide in that year that university isn't for you, at least you took the time you took the time to figure it out in your own time instead of rushing into something that you didn't really want to do. 

Scenario 2

If you do have a dream, no matter what it is, I am telling you from the bottom of my heart to pursue it with everything that you have because you only have one chance at achieving your dreams so never give up on them and never think that it'll never happen because if you work hard enough for it, then you can do anything you want. It doesn't matter if you're parents aren't completley supportive and they try to push you down a more "realistic" or "safer" route, don't blindly follow it, make your own path! (how cliche) 

So my message this week is to do whatever is right for you. Don't copy anybody else, listen to the advice you're given but that doesn't mean you have to agree with it or follow it. It's your life, you live it! (...aaaaaannnnnd everyone threw up at the cheesiness) :D 

Thanks xxxxx 

FACE YOUR FEARS!

WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?

We all have things that we're afraid of. It be could be anything from a common fear of spiders and creepy crawlies to a phobia or even lack of self confidence but there isn't one human being on the planet that isn't afraid of anything! Some of these fears seemed to be ingrained within us and some may be possible to overcome or lessen.

This summer I am setting you all a challenge! Pick a fear any fear, it doesn't matter how big or small the fear is, but I want you to face it. If you're scared of spiders then don't charge out the room and wait for it to disappear, try putting a glass over it, scooping it up and leaving it outside to run away! You have the whole summer to pick your fear that you want to face and when you do, tweet me (@missgingerg) the fear you're facing with #FACEYOURFEARS so I know who the brave ones are! I'm not expecting you to all overcome these fears, but it's more about having the courage to take a risk and facing what scares you and if you can summon the courage to face a fear, then that's one step closer to maybe one day overcoming it!

So, what's my fear that I'll be facing you may be wondering? Mine is a fear of being judged, which is something that might be more complicated than overcoming a fear of a spider or of heights as everybody is judged by everybody else because we're all guilty of doing it to each other. So as I can't physically stop the possibility of being judged by others, I just have to stop myself from being afraid of it. Therefore, I plan to "face my fear" by doing things like going out without any make up on or without my hair being done and I know that a lot of people that may not seem like a big deal to them and you may be sitting there now thinking "well that's not scary!" but to me a dog isn't scary nor is a spider or a big rollacoaster but I struggle with self confidence and feel that I have to look as "perfect" as I can the whole time, but I wasn't always like that and fears shouldn't control your life which is why it is important to try to face them...just a little bit at a time. We're all different so we all have different fears but it's about having the courage to overcome them whilst understanding and suporting others who find different things scary, which is why I want you guys to share what fear you're facing because then we can try to help each other, so we can all be that one step closer to being more confidant human beings.

THANKS XXXX