“It’s not my responsibility, when I was young, I had to figure it out on my own…”
Perhaps you’ve said something like that when someone younger was struggling. That they can figure it out on their own as you did.
But that’s wrong.
They don’t have to fumble in the dark long for them to make it in life as you did. You have to be who you needed when you were younger for them.
But why? You may ask.
Read on to discover the reasons you need to be the person you needed when you were younger.
Let’s roll!
1. The Young Learn What Matters From You
Imagine when you finished high school. Did you know that your test scores are of little importance if you lack certain life values?
Often, the young are unaware of things that matter most like determination, grit, and empathy. They fail to recognize the significance of these virtues to their future.
But you can help them understand. You can let them know they’re living not just for themselves but also for others.
2. You Improve the Generations to Come
One generation learns from the previous one the standards to work towards and even exceed.
And that’s what has helped remove emotional barriers between parents and children in this generation compared to the last. While stuff like sex education was shameful in the past, it’s now necessary for child safety.
In the case of your life, you need to show the young what can help them become better than your generation. Not be jealous or resentful of the extra mile they go from you.
Be it a sibling, co-worker, or mentee, show them how far you’ve come and help them go the extra mile.
3. You Help the Young Stay Confident
In an age that promotes negative self-image from beauty products advertisements to popular social media posts by friends, the young need to learn self-confidence from you.
Maybe you were bullied or you were the bully, or perhaps you had self-esteem issues since you were a kid. The others coming after you don’t have to live a dark childhood as you did.
They need to learn from you Hacks To Love Yourself Enough in a world that promotes self-hate. They need you to not only teach but also show them how to live a self-confident life.
4. You Help the Young Live a Fulfilling Life
Often, many kids learn to chase after money so they can get the self-confidence they so desire. Since they learn from the wrong people that money, status, and other external things help one have self-esteem, they miss out on true fulfillment.
But if you chase after living a fulfilling life with meaningful relationships and set an example for them, they too would be able to search for that which fulfills them and enjoy their lives.
5. You Help Spread Compassion
When you’re kind to the upcoming generation, you raise compassionate young people who are going to spread that kindness everywhere they go.
For instance, if you help the young learn Why Life Sucks and Expert Strategies For A Turnaround, they’ll go with a positive attitude wherever they go and influence others with the positive psychology they learned from you.
Instead of facing hostile adults who seem to not care about the young, they find you, ready to embrace their scared selves, ready to mold them to approach the world with a smile.
You’ll be a gift to them and as a result, a gift to the world.
6. You Gracefully Prepare the Young for Reality
In The Nine Fantasies That Will Ruin Your Life, Dr. Joy Browne explains how some fantasies we keep get us into trouble and leave us stuck there.
Many teenagers believe they can make their wild fantasies a reality. But not all fantasies are healthy of course so they end up in trouble like piled-up debts, long-term brain overload, destructive emotional entanglements, and many other disappointments.
In worst-case scenarios, they live in these disappointments for far too long only to despair their entire life. This is what promotes tragedies like suicide.
That’s why you need to be who you needed when you were younger, to teach them what challenged you and how you overcame early enough.
7. You Become a Source of Wisdom
Do you remember feeling lost at some point? You probably desired someone with wisdom to impart to you?
Whether you were lucky to get it or not, you now realize you really needed a wise person in your life to advise you in many instances.
Don’t forget your needs when younger and become that wise person the young person now needs.
8. You Help With a Listening Ear
Many teenagers want someone to listen without judging them. They desire a caring friend to speak their mind to about their confusing feelings, girl/boy puberty issues, hurt, and even amazing things like their million-dollar dreams.
We’ve all been there before.
This is why you need to be the listening friend you needed when you were younger.
You can welcome the young to initiate conversation sometime by telling them, “If you want someone to talk to, I’ll always be here – happy to listen.”
9. You Help the Young Feel a Sense of Belonging
We all want to belong. To be accepted by people we feel are going in the same direction as us.
When one feels their need to belong satisfied, they’re happier and as science suggests, they work hard to be more resilient, coping better with difficulties in their lives.
For this reason, you need to be accepting of those younger than you – welcome them to feel at home with you.
10. The Young Learn About Relationships From You
Many kids crave to be on good terms with their parents. Others want to know how to go about romantic relationships. For many, even relating well with their peers at school to make friends seems almost impossible.
But you can make it less stressful for them, helping them learn constructive communication among other things you’ve learned in your relationships thus far.
11. You Inspire Youth to Create Their Own Story
We’re all born unique to express ourselves differently for the delight of ourselves and others. Yet many youths think their story doesn’t matter and try to copy others they consider successful.
Of course, this isn’t the best way to live but who can they learn that from? It’s you.
12. You Help Others Learn Unconditional Love
Many lonely kids grow up feeling unloved. And this takes a toll on everything from their performance to their happiness.
However, if you learn to love others unconditionally, you help the young feel loved which pushes them to shower others with love like you. What a great way to make the world a better place!
13. You Validate the Struggles of the Youth
Many adults make young people feel their struggles don’t matter. And this dissuades them from listening to any advice they offer since, “If one doesn’t understand us, how can they help us?” They wonder.
But since you know struggles differ according to times, you can help the young know that it’s okay to go through what they’re going through. This way, they can listen to your answer and improve themselves.
14. You Help the Young Hope Things Will Get Better
In at least one moment when you were young, you wished someone could reassure you that things get better with time. That’s all you needed to press on forward.
Well, you can be that someone to tell a teenager, their life will get better.
15. The Young Get Someone They Can Approach
Many adults are unapproachable and therefore, the young are unable to get help from them.
Few people talk about issues like sex and abuse openly yet these are issues teenagers want to know about.
But you can be welcoming enough to give way for the young to open up and get the help they need.
16. The Young Learn Discipline Gracefully
The things needed to live a good life often are tough to obtain because they need much discipline.
But discipline isn’t some unattainable thing only your generation could master. The young also can get it and they desire to know how – but not in a condescending manner many people teach about discipline.
Be the mature adult you needed when you were younger.
17. You Help the Young Walk Their Path Authentically
When young, we all need someone to help us understand that we’re amazing people the way we are so we can express our authentic selves.
This is what the young also need to learn from you. That it’s a beautiful thing to express their authentic selves no matter what. That it’s the best way to walk their path in life.
Related: Life Skill Coaches: Techniques to Thrive
Questions on Be Who You Needed When You Were Younger
Are you still wondering…
What does Be who you needed when you were younger mean?
Be who you needed when you were younger means you should take responsibility to become the things you wanted to see and get from adults when you were younger. That you should provide the help you needed when you were young to those younger than you.
Who said be the person you needed as a child? Who wrote be who you needed when you were younger?
Ayesha Siddiqi, a scientist, and political commentator coined the powerful quote “Be the person you needed when you were younger” in 2013 on Twitter. The quote was retweeted and shared by numerous people hence gaining popularity after inspiring many to be there for the young, especially abused and neglected children.
[selfgowth]
Finally Become Who You Needed When Younger
The young need you to be who you felt would be helpful when you were a kid. It helps pave a clearer path for them. It helps avoid all the stress of growing up with no one to depend on.
Now that you know why you need to be who you needed when you were younger, it’s time to cultivate those qualities.
Think about it – who did you need when you were younger? Have you taken on any of those traits? Let’s talk in the comments below!
Also, share this piece to help others become who they needed when young.
Thanks for stopping by!
Related Posts
Best Confidence Building Exercises Backed By Science
