Bruce W Curle

**HEY, LIFE COACH, What can you do for a teenager like me? **

**Teen Questions and some Possible Answers **

"What can a Life Coach do for a Teenager?"
A well-trained Life Coach can assist anyone eager to move to a higher level of achievement or function in school or life.
For a Teenager, this could mean assisting them with strategies to succeed in school, sports or their workplace.
Teenagers could get assistance finding answers to the "How to" questions in their young lives.
Imagine a teenager can bounce ideas and desires off their Life Coach to design the future they want for themselves.

The Life Coach will help teenagers look at all the directions they are going in life and help them find
balance. Along the way, they discover many skills they have not truly explored or appreciated.

"WOW, that is more than I thought!"
It is imperative to remember the** Life Coach is not there to tell you what you want or what to do.**
This is your agenda; your ideas and your coach will help you focus on problem-solving and watch you shine.
Remember, your coach is a collaborative partner that will assist you on your journey to change to find future success.
Before we go too far, remember that a Life Coach is not a therapist. The past is something for an excellent, well-trained therapist or family doctor to assist you with. They will assist you in reaching for the stars in the here and now.
Before I forget, listen up real good. A Life Coach is also not where you blame others, accuse others or feel sorry for yourself.

"If I cannot complain to you or blame the system, why do I need a Life Coach"
You may not need a Life Coach; if you want to complain and blame others, a Life Coach cannot help you very much.
Now here is a big word, "RESPONSIBILITY."

If you are ready to take responsibility for your life and where you want it to go. A Life Coach will
help you find the way to a brighter present and future.
Imagine for a moment; you figure out how to arrive to class on time, work out for the team, and still work two nights a week.
It will not be easy, but by identifying areas to focus on and making achievable goals, you could be looking at a whole new you. Before you know it, these changes will be noticed by the teaching staff, coaches and parents.

Now if you have problems from the past or anxiety issues, a good counsellor or therapist can help.
At the same time, a good Life Coach can help you make realistic choices in the here and now.
And find success while a counsellor or therapist helps you work through mental health issues.

*"A One, Two Punch!**"
You are right; the teenager is already starting to figure this out.
Imagine already knowing something about your goals in life.
How to achieve your goals and have fulfillment before you graduate high school.
As you call it, that one-two-punch will put you ahead of others as you move forward to the workforce, college, and trade schools.
You will already be able to identify and maintain healthy choices and even eat better.

"I can always come back to you for a refresher?"
Anything is possible.
You can find a group session with other young adults that will help.
Remember, Life Coaches are not a miracle cure; the coach is there to help provide structure, watch you shine, and show you different tools. Always be honest with your Life Coach and be open to creative suggestions.
A Life Coach can help a Teenager.
Remember, a Life Coach will encourage you, support positive change be supportive.
A Life Coach will help you develop a plan and a goal and will also help redirect you when you start to go off the path you set for yourself.

Authors' Notes
Bruce Curle worked many years with teenagers and has taken courses through different Life Coaching Schools and programs. Bruce, Supports the IFC and their principles and their code of conduct.
These questions are based on online questions asked by a teenager to Bruce over some time.

Sometimes our daily routines or lack of routines can make a human feel defeated or, worse "caged" by design, thought or circumstance. Sometimes by all three.

An example is putting a task or household job off until it becomes critical or overwhelming. An example would be fixing a fence in the yard; instead of making a plan with tasks to make this job reachable and not a pain, you leave it until it collapses in your yard or, worse, the neighbour's pool.

Other examples could be ignoring the noise your car is making and turning your music louder and louder to avoid hearing that noise. This was always a favourite of mine. Until one day, the vehicle stops on the highway, requiring significant repairs and towing.

Your tasks or things you want to do might differ, but we all have things we like to do, should do and eventually must DO! In the following paragraphs, we will explore ways to make these tasks easier and maybe put some pride and amusement in them.

One way to do this is to put a Task or Job board on your refrigerator. Why suggest the fridge? It is one place everyone in the house will go to at least twice a day. Below is a simple example of a way to set the board up.
**
**Job / Task How did it go? Completed or Notes

The Job or Task could be to remove boxes from the Garage
.
How did it go? Boxes are secured in the back of the truck.

Completed or Notes. Going to Dump this Thursday.****

At times you might find you have a Task or a Job that requires more than slow steps to achieve, or this Goal will require a Gigantic Leap to complete this Task / Job / Goal successfully.

Now you must brainstorm what Gigantic Leap you can take.

Your Goal could be a vacation you and your spouse have dreamed of taking.

The Gigantic Leap could be opening a separate account that withdrawals a certain amount of money from your regular accounts. It could be as little as fifty dollars a month or more.

Above, you have found two possible ways to meet your goals and do your tasks more productively. We will now look at that beast I like to call "EXCUSES!" Whenever you try to complete a task or meet a goal, that evil Blob called "EXCUSES" may appear.

Did you realize that Big Blob, called "Excuses," has an evil cousin called "BUT"?

Below are some of the examples you might notice plague you in your daily life.

But it is too expensive

But I do not have Time.

But I tried it six years ago, and it did not work.

But I wouldn't say I like doing that.**

But I am tired!

But *it could be crowded!

Example

1. Price rarely goes down in the economy. Consider changing your spending habits to start saying for that dream vacation today. Not going out for dinner twice a week will more than make up for this expense.

2. Make Time, instead of two hours online every day, take a half-hour off to put your recycling into the truck.

3. That was the old lazy you six years ago. Today you are more confident, more goal-centred and a conqueror. You can do it!

Now take a moment and figure out how you can destroy those other three "BUTS!"

We have looked at jobs and tasks to help us reach our goals. We have also considered making giant leaps to help achieve our goals.

We have also looked at positive ways of dealing with "Excuses" and "Buts."

I wish to examine one more way to help you escape your prison. For you to completely break free to have a long-term goal ready. This Goal may take a year or longer. (Think back to our holiday saving account.)

Looking at this Holiday Saving Account. The long-term Goal could be

Romantic Cruise.

Ways to reach this Goal

Short-term goals

$50.00 per month in account. **Though a short-term goal each month, it will help reach the long-term goal of about (1) year.

Twenty minutes per day on an exercise bike. **Through a short-term goal each month, it will help reach the long-term goal of looking fabulous for that dream cruise in about one year.

Garage Sale, Cash made goes to Holiday Account. **This one-time-a-season Task will help you reach your long-term Holiday Goal."

Skipped meals out, those funds go to Holiday Account. **Avoiding the traps of going out will save you tremendous amounts of money over a year."

Check Passports eight months before the trip and make sure they are up to date. **Though this might be a one-time Job or Task, it is a MUST if you're leaving your country!"

Ask friends and relatives for gift cards for groceries or cinemas to limit your spending and direct more funds to this Holiday Account.

A little restraint can lead to a week of positive memories that will last a lifetime.

These short-term goals could go into your Job / Task Board.

Special Note - The Holiday Account is just one example. This could have been a Home Reno project, car repairs or a trip to your sister's wedding.

Special Note II - Using a whiteboard on your fridge is an excellent way to meet the goals of your busy life. Try it for a few months, and please let me know how you are succeeding.

Authors Note

Thank you for reading "Feeling like you are locked in a Cage?" Bruce Curle has completed Master's Courses with the Transformation University of Florida and other great institutions. I look forward to your thoughts, comments and success stories.
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The photo was taken by H Curle, 2022 Yale, B.C.*

Bruce Curle 2023.*