These shared memories of daring and growing can help provide the encouragement a young person needs to continue – step by step and challenge by challenge – to develop into the flourishing adult they will be one day. If you don’t succeed at first, you may need to find a novel way to solve the problem or an innovative solution that surprises the system. She is the author of numerous books, most recently her book The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents (2023), and she hosts Ask Lisa, a wonderful parenting advice podcast with Reena Ninan.

If you’re shy about asking someone you know for help, a life coach can be that person to encourage you and provide actionable, targeted advice. You’ll soon realize that your fear is often your ego trying to protect itself from feeling diminished. You might find it helpful if you’re already convinced that your young person needs to be encouraged to face challenging situations, and you want some tips on how to help.As psychiatrist Carl Jung put it, “Find out what a person fears most, and that is where he will develop next. Pay attention to when your child speaks longingly of an activity or challenge that they don’t think they can face – that is both a sign they might need some encouragement and a tell that this is an area of value for them. If their long-term crush turned them down, you can remind them that time is on their side, and the most likely scenario is that they’ll find love again.

Use techniques in advance to ‘de-charge’, such as journalling, mindfulness, a brisk walk, punching pillows, dancing it out… whatever works to calm you down.

In this high impact nine week program Coach Marlee will help you increase your self-confidence and general wellbeing while also helping you to break through self sabotage to develop life long skills for emotional resilience and self-esteem. If we take the time to stop, focus, and ask, “What is the absolutely worse thing that can happen here?

As I read through this list, I couldn’t help but think: what a lot of joy we’re leaving on the table. I also shared my idea for the book — what if it changes, what if it evolves, what if I struggle writing it, what if it’s a failure, what if I’m a flake? This Guide, and the books above, largely assume that the reader is a caring parent or educator looking to support the young people in their care as best they can.Lean into this and start to become comfortable with the unknown and the thrill that comes with venturing outside of your comfort zone. Then, knowing what you’re up against gives you the ability to decide how much this fear will hold you back from your life 2.

For example, if you finally drop out of that university course you hate but your parents wanted you to take, they might be really angry. To find joy, it sometimes means sacrificing security, a good paycheck, a well-worn routine of evenings on the sofa, the simplicity of relying only on yourself.

Speaking with a mental health professional can help you work through underlying challenges that may impair bravery development. Increase your comfort and use of abstract and strategic thinking to gain a broader perspective in work and life. Maybe you hesitate to take courageous steps due to fear of the unknown, of what other people might say, or of course, because of the possibility of failure. Enjoy weekly cutting edge science backed wellbeing resources from both Marlee and our wellbeing partner Blisspot.