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365 Days of Taste-Berry Inspiration for Teens The Taste Berries for Teens series has always brought you valuable insights and inspiration with its stories about maximizing life in the midst of the ups and downs of teen life. Just as the taste berry convinces the taste buds that all food-even distasteful bites-is delicious, so the inspirations in this book are offered to sweeten your daily life with a special thought and affirmation for each day of the year. The desire to be a greater taste berry-to live a richer and more meaningful life-is both natural and noble, and this book supports teens like you as you “Go for it!” each day. Filled with cherished affirmations from the seven previous books in the Taste Berries for Teens series, each day's message offers encouragement, inspiration and direction-reminders that the power to support you as you strive keep reaching toward being your personal best. In these pages, you'll be reminded of the power of love, friendship, courage, integrity, compassion, kindness, service, forgiveness, perseverance and the many other taste-berry traits and qualities that call you to a life of meaning, purpose and success. Gems of truth and wisdom, affirmations (or “affies” as teens call them) are powerful because they're quick and easy to remember, and great remedies to distraction, discouragement or confusion. | ||||||
Uplifting, loving, motivating and practical, these taste-berry thoughts are sure to remind you of your highest ideals and inspire you to continue claiming them as your own. Enjoy each day's inspiration as you take these taste-berry truth-and-wisdom reminders to heart.
Day 148
What's the use of a parachute that won't open? It allows for only one possibility-and not a very bright one at that. So keep your mind in working order-keep it open. How can you have a broader vision of life if you refuse to raise your eyes and look at a new horizon? How can you hear new aides if you don't listen to them? You are a student of life: Open your mind to a world of greater wisdom, knowledge and new ideas. Read broadly, have discussions about current events with interesting and diverse friends, watch educational programs, open yourself to others who are bright, “with it” and who you know have “sage” advice. When you do these things, your mind stays open-and you're sure to land safely as the winds of life take you into a world of greater possibilities. Taste-berry promise for the day: I will discuss current events with my friends.
Day 84
Have you ever been caught cheating, telling a “white lie” or been pulled over to the side of the road by a police officer? All are consequences of having made some bad decisions. Still, these “mistakes” can be used to become a better person. How? By vowing not to repeat a “poor decision” and by learning from the mistakes you've made. Ask yourself: What are the lessons this taught me? What amends do I need to make? How can I use what I've learned to become a better person? What is the biggest mistake you've ever made, and what is the lesson you learned? In what ways are you now a “better” person for having learned from your mistake? Taste-berry promise for the day: I will journal on the two most important lessons I've learned from my biggest mistake.
Day 85
Have you ever gone to an activity, such as an ice-skating rink or the fair, where the price of admission goes up right at your age? It would be easy to say you were a year younger and save a lot of money-that's what all of your friends are doing. What would you do? Oftentimes it takes true courage to do what is right, especially when it means not going along with the crowd. If you've been in a similar situation, you know it can be tough to do the right thing. Do it anyway. Your friends will come to know you as someone who has the courage to do what is right. And it may be that your modeling this courage for them assures that you won't be the only one “doing what is right” the next time! Taste-berry promise for the day: I will look in the mirror and tell myself, “I commit to doing what I know is right.”
Day 97
Like every drop of water that is needed to make a container full, each of us must do our part in seeing that we create a peaceful world.
Imagine if every person on the planet was committed to peace. Imagine a world where there were no wars or any violence. Imagine if each and every one of us practiced peace in our homes, in our schools, at our work, in our communities, in our hearts-all the time. Imagine if each and every person was committed to being a taste berry to the whole of humanity-each one praying for peace, each studying and practicing ways to be culturally sensitive to others. It's a choice we each can make. When you live in peace, you help create this vision of peace in the world. Can you calculate the number of lives you've touched-possibly even changed-by being a peaceful person? Believe that your peaceful actions have power. Dare to dream of creating the peaceful world of your imagination. Taste-berry promise for the day: I will be an “ambassador of peace” by learning all I can about other cultures in order to help promote peace.
Day 235
I've come to the conclusion that jumping to conclusions is a total waste of time.
Have you ever thought someone didn't like you because she never spoke to you, and later found out she was just shy? Did you hear the new student at school had been kept back a year, and assumed he or she wasn't a good student-then found out that this person had been very ill and had to miss school? Have your friends ever stopped talking when you walked into the room, and you thought that they were talking behind your back-only to discover later that they'd been planning a surprise party for you? It's so important not to jump to conclusions or make assumptions. Feelings could get hurt-including your own. And, of course, there's the very real possibility your assumptions aren't anywhere close to what is really going on. The “taste-berry” conclusion is always one that sees the best in others-and also waits for all the facts. Taste-berry promise for the day: I will see the best in myself and others. © 2003 Health Communications, Inc. About the Author Bettie Youngs, Ph. D., Ed.D., is an international lecturer and counselor. Dr. Young's is a university professor and executive director of the Phoenix ED Foundation. She serves on the board of trustees to Drake University and is consultant to Fortune 500 companies. Dr. Youngs is founder of Bettie B. Youngs & Associates and president of Instruction & Professional Development, Inc. Dr. Youngs is the author of 24 books published in 29 languages. A noted expert, she is a frequent guest on television and radio talk shows, including Oprah, Donahue, Geraldo, Montel Williams andSally Jesse Rafael. Her work has been recognized in USA Today, The Washington Post, Redbook, McCalls, Working Woman, Parents Magazine, Woman's Day and others. More by Bettie Youngs, Ph. D., Ed.D.Jennifer Leigh Youngs, is a speaker and workshop presenter for teens and parents nationwide. She is the coauthor of the bestseller Taste Berries for Teens and Taste Berries for Teens Journal, and author of A Stress-Management Guide for Teens and Goal Setting Skills for Young Adults. More by Jennifer Leigh Youngs |
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