Encouraging words for youth

What are some positive and encouraging words that someone told you in your youth, that really stuck with you into adulthood?*
*Alternatively, "What positive and encouraging words would you like to offer to today's youth?"

***

I have two:

When I was a young Cub Scout, our Den Leaders gave us these magnetic laminated bookmarks with this statement written on it:

Go the distance, when you accept a task, finish it!

I don't know how that simple boring bookmark was so encouraging -- sometimes in a stern, nagging kind of way.  It really encouraged me to muster the dedication to work towards Eagle Scout, which remains one of the hardest (yet most rewarding) personal challenges in my life.  It also really bolstered a sense of integrity: if I say I'll do it, I'm going to do it; if I say I'll be there, I need to be there.  

My second one:

Son, you can be anything you want to be when you grow up...


...except maybe pope.

🤣🤣🤣

A message to tattoo on your soul: "There is always a way to help yourself."

Hey,

I remember fondly being told I had no equal.
it was true, in many regards,
in integrity, determination, focus, relentlessness, effort, Care, loyalty,


I heard some of the best things to do to encourage youth is to spend time with young people because it is a statement that you enjoy their company.
That they have worth.

and in this modern time, with so many distractions and calls for our attention, spending time with people and giving them our attention is meaningful.

I'm fond of "I think you're cool."

If you keep doing what you are doing, you will keep getting what you have got.

"Your wants won't hurt you."

But that's not much of an encouragement... So I reccomend telling your youngsters that you are proud of them, when they do good. Sometimes I find myself constantly having to get onto my boys for the stupid things they do, its natural for kids to make mistakes; and to get in trouble. But I have made it a point to pick out the good things that they do and praise them for it. Sometimes I have to tell them that they did a "great job" quickly, before they do something yet again that needs correction!

I think it is more important to be careful with your criticism, years ago when I was 15 or 16 I had a person I respected talk down about some music I liked. I never really enjoyed the band again, and to this day when I hear them come on the radio I just don't care for it. I've thought about it a lot and I believe the simple act of my respected elder telling me he didn't care for them caused me to get a distaste for them.

I never looked forward to bedtime.
My dad had to be up early for work, which included an hour commute.

His words to me:

Early to bed
Early to rise
Makes a person
Healthy, wealthy and wise.


Dad  crossed over to the spirit world exactly 16 years ago on November 17th. I will never forget those words.

I agree, Ben, it's all too natural to hold on to admonishment from one's youth and even adulthood, as negativity bias is a real thing, unfortunately.  I feel that negativity bias makes it *extra* important for us to hold *even more tightly* to true, good, and encouraging words and memories...and to pass such things on to others (especially youth) wherever possible.

I have a daughter with learning disabilities so we praise her for her progress, no matter how small.  Sometimes a simple "good job" or "wow that's really cool" goes a long way in boosting a kid's self esteem.

I also agree about  being careful with criticism.   Instead of pointing out wrongs with a project, discuss what could be done to improve it.

In high school a had a particularly droll monotone English teacher ask us to interpret an Emily Dickenson poem and tell in our opinion what it meant.  So I proudly got up and said something about it being a metaphor for the depression and darkness in her life (or something along those lines.  Remember this was 30+ years ago) and the teacher said I was wrong.  At that point shy little me stood up and shocked the class by asking how my opinion could be wrong.  I avoided taking that teacher's classes when he served as an adjunct college professor and I've never cared for Dickenson since.

Michelle Heath wrote: At that point shy little me stood up and shocked the class by asking how my opinion could be wrong.

Thank you, Michelle.  I have seen this so many times. And personally.

A student is asked to give their opinion, but their opinion is wrong.  Even in life, this has happened.

My mother-in-law was a fan of Emily Dickenson.  I find her work somewhat dark and depressing.  So many from that era are that way.

Here is a couple of quotes for youths:

To be old and wise you must first be young and stupid.

You can't change other people. You can change how you choose to live your life.

Michelle Heath wrote:
In high school a had a particularly droll monotone English teacher ask us to interpret an Emily Dickenson poem and tell in our opinion what it meant.  So I proudly got up and said something about it being a metaphor for the depression and darkness in her life (or something along those lines.  Remember this was 30+ years ago) and the teacher said I was wrong.  At that point shy little me stood up and shocked the class by asking how my opinion could be wrong.  I avoided taking that teacher's classes when he served as an adjunct college professor and I've never cared for Dickenson since.

Michelle,

I relate to what you said also,
When I was at school, I was different and girls used to have fun by getting me in trouble often for things which were not true.

Many events stand out to me, kids stealing my things and kids punching me in the face yet they were un punished and I was punished for being robed or for being punched in the face.

One event was during English in year 7. we were watching a video about lindy chamberlain, Now the problem was at the time that people thought that she killed her child because she showed no emotion,
I said that I though that she did not look sad when asked after raising my hand,
I was given detention after school.
The worse issue was that My grandfather had visited her in prison in the NT, because he had a friendship with the warden,
My grandfather told me about the events of her in prison, and how she was a racist, who orchestrated attacks on indigenous prisoners, and how Lindy has taken another women as a lover in prison.
The warden of the prison hated her, and the trouble she caused, she was the worst prisoner he had.
Lindy had made an ash tray while in prison and the ash tray was given to my grandfather, its now in the bottom of a river, because my grandfather wife throw it in the river 2 years ago, it was painted blue and pink, poorly like a child would, and had her maiden name painted on the base, she had made it after divorcing her first husband.

I knew these things, Yet because the teacher who was not Australian, did not like me, assumed I was wrong, and punished me.