Wednesday Wisdom from a Young Owl

Recently I've been helping some of my chapter officers apply for being regional FFA officers. There's a question on the application that has had my kids perplexed for about a week. What is your greatest struggle and how have you overcome it? 

The wording of the question had my kids completely at odds. I finally said "what is your weakness?" That made more sense to them but then they said a weakness isn't the same as a struggle? I guess I never really thought about it like that. Not everything that is a weakness is a struggle, not everything that is a weakness has to be conquered. So I asked the kids to think about what they've struggled with in their life. What really gets to them, what do they really see as something they've struggled with. 

Their answers were amazing to me. One student put her struggle was being overly confident. And how people perceive confidence as being a snob or a know-it all. How can something so amazing like confidence be a bad thing? With every speaker I have ever coached, one of the first things that I tell them is "say it like you mean it!" Like in MadTV's video- "Do not be insecure! Own that ponytail! WORK THAT UPDO!" 

So how could this be a struggle? It's a struggle for high school girls when they're confident because there are literally judged daily. Judged by what they do, what they wear, what they say, who they're friends with and so on. Now I don't mean we should have a whole bunch of arrogant kids walking around, just that we should be teaching kids to channel their confidence in positive directions. Confidence is something that most high school students lack, so why is it that kids degrade each other when one is confident? Insercurities-- plain and simple... 

Insecurities are something far too common in high school. Comparisons about everything and everyone. Judging each other based on anything and everything. Using stereotypes to breed hatred and never being open-minded, about anything. This folks, is far too common what happens every day high school.

We need more tolerance, real quick like. It's not even an issue of acceptance. We can agree to disagree and I don't have to accept what you believe in. But I do have enough to respect to tolerate you and be respectful and kind regardless of your beliefs and differences.
Confidence in myself and tolerance and respect of others is what make successful people. People who will do good not only for themselves but for others and work to make a difference.

Confidence is key, the struggles are many and tolerance is invaluable...