Finding your true value in life!

To what degree do you value yourself?

That’s the question that began our conversation on GreenMent, Oman Observer’s podcast on mental health with Dr Hamed al Sinawi, Senior Psychiatrist.

The session was looking at teenagers and how they develop self-esteem. And that could be from trying to find appreciation to being accepted within the peer group. Of course a major part of it is to do with parents, he said, adding that sometimes parents give them too much attention so much that they bask in self-importance only to be deflated when they step out into the world.

We often talk about generation gap and it can get wider as the digital world takes over.

It is not just about being accepted by our personal world of family, teachers and parents, but in the virtual world too.

Sometimes parents try to be tough to bring out the best in their children, but most often it also could be to meet the parents’ expectations.

Whatever the case, teenagers tend to have a hard time finding their footing often clashing with elders in the family or being left out from the peer group because not being able to fit in.

It is low self-esteem when we search in others on ways to be accepted. As they say it is not others who makes us happy but we must find the reasons within ourselves. Quite often we feel we need so many other elements to fulfil our life. Instead we hardly look within ourselves to try to know ourselves. What is that we really want? Are we brave enough to follow our heart?

It is not just teenagers who go through low self-esteem. We go through self-esteem issues during various stages in our life such as during the middle age and retirement age. It hits badly when one thinks of career change. But the support and guidance we get at young age can go a long way. The fact is we are continuously evolving and that means we are changing. We cannot remain stagnant. As we move on to new situations how do we cope?

Are we ready to adapt or are we going to be a hindrance to development just because we do not want to face changes?

A whole new world could be awaiting us!

If people did not believe in changes there would have been no scientific discoveries and innovation. They thought differently and proved themselves, so what stops us?

What is that we need to break free from the normal thinking process? After all the future is for the ones who can think out of the box.

So should we not be encouraging the youngsters to think for themselves and open them to the real and ever changing world providing them assurance and safety.

After all one aspect teenagers might never understand is the anxiety the parents go through regarding their children’s safety.

It is dilemma each parent must go through while ushering the young ones to spread their wings. But what they must send with them is the understanding of their own value, self-respect and dignity.