It's unfortunate to see how many teenagers have self-confidence issues. These days it seems as though high school students need to keep up with all of the latest trends in fashion to fit in and maintain a cool perspective. However many students or even parents cannot afford that expense.

In my travels this year, I focused solely on this subject and talked to high school students all across Canada about this topic. Having a self-confidence issue can unfortunately lead to other problems, such as bullying. It is getting to the point where some kids can't even go to school without feeling at risk of being verbally or physically abused.

Being a teenager in high school is a huge step in life. It ranks right up there with getting married and having a baby. Teens are just starting to realize who they are, but not so conscious of their values and beliefs. They can easily be drawn into the wrong crowd.

When I was in high school, I had to dodge the drug scene. I recall one of my earliest mentors saying, 'The friends that you hang out with can either make you or break you'. This statement rang true as I started hanging around people who were a bad influence, but I realized that there was a problem brewing, so I found a group of kids who shared similar interests and beliefs with me. That made life so much easier because, because even though friends come and go, they were a deciding factor as to what I became. That gives you a better outlook on life and helps motivate you toward achieving your goals.

So if you feel as though you are being bullied at school or if you lack self-confidence, I strongly suggest the following: find a quiet place and write down every success or accomplishment you have ever had no matter how small. Remember we build our future with the past successes. Now write down your goals for the future and follow those dreams. If they don't include the people that you are hanging around with, then maybe it's time to find new friends who believe in you and your dreams.

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"Creating a Better World through Better Youth"