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JenThePen's avatar

"Do the next right thing" is wonderful advice. Sometimes the next right thing is to stop and evaluate the situation before coming up with a course of action, and sometimes it's doing the thing you know you should be doing but aren't.

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Barbara Francavilla's avatar

I would like to take this opportunity to share that so many of our young men and women feel lost. I was employed as a crisis counselor within a school system. It is extremely painful to read and feel the pain of being lost. Thank you Ethan for providing a subscription for all to join; the need is far too great . Too many young adults and/ or teens think that their voices are not taken seriously due to their age. Oh, How wrong our society is to have our young feel that type of isolation. I for one, am very sorry, for that is Not true. We, and that is why I Thank Ethan, because your voices are very important to our society’s future, history, and its character. Keep posting. Keep writing, Keep talking. One of us will reach out! Our self esteem is shaped from our thoughts about ourselves and also from others. There are many times one may be out of balance!!! As a young child, I was ridiculed, I was given very good advice from a wise, trusted, adult in my life who told me, it is purposeful, because you are doing something that others think you may be getting ahead of them. Do not stop! Keep focused and move forward, do not allow that “ridicule” to persuade you otherwise. I listened. I persisted. I became a very strong woman who is determined to succeed in her life. Her success is not measured monetary it is the battles of life won! They will be numerous and I live in no fear, because I learned to stay focus. I hope this advice shared can help others. It helped me. I was taken seriously, you are too!

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Dennis Willows's avatar

I'm one of the lucky guys who has never felt lost. Not sure why, but here's an idea.

Besides my being lucky, my parents leaned on me to get skills; my schooling leaned on me, pressure to learn hard stuff, especially STEM; and my parents pushed me out of the nest, at age 15, to sink or swim. Literally, and regrettably I rarely returned home. I'm embarrassed to say I sort of abandoned my parents.

There was very little hand-holding, kid-counselors I don't think existed in 1950, and encouragement came mostly from having skills. Neither of my parents ever once attended my feeble sporting efforts, and rarely any school activities. I knew they cared, but they had jobs, and I was soon far away.

Encouragement in my long life has come from skills like fixit, building, discovering things, music, science, aviation, and having children and grand children.

Above all, skills have been a source of confidence and happiness. I'm deeply grateful to the people- mom, dad, wives, teachers, skillful people, all who have helped me gain some.

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Arnold Holm's avatar

This too shall pass.

Boys and men are not taught about emotions, the eb and flow. Continue with conversations on the human spirit.

#EndStigma

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