Unknown Speaker 0:21
Hey everybody, welcome back to another episode of The YouSchool Podcast. I'm the host, Scott Schimmel. Today, we are still working through really the same topic. week in week out. I've been doing this for 20 years working with kids. And really it's fundamentally down to this same question, which is, what are you going to do with your life? And that question creates and causes so much stress and anxiety, and no wonder, and kids feel it even the most confident, thought through, I've got a plan kid, which was me. Even I felt the pressure. I've only got one life, I don't want to blow it. There's a lot riding on it. It's a lot of pressure. I mean, I remember just feeling even though my parents didn't ever say anything, I felt the burden of expectations, to do something no worthy to do something respectable to provide for myself, that alone is intimidating enough. So how do you help a kid answer that question, that's what we do at The YouSchool. The first thing that we would say, and then we're going to get into the main content is if you've got a kid, or you're listening to this, and you are a kid, and you're in your scene and noticing that that kind of overwhelming or shut down or big reactions, or even if you're like how I was really clear, confident answers. One of the most helpful things to do is actually to get out and get some distance get away from that question for a minute.
Unknown Speaker 1:59
That question can be can to kind of flood a kid and even the nervous system of like, intensity, and stress and threat, not much more threatening than your own survival, and making something with your life. So first thing is generally get some distance. And one of most effective ways that I found, we found is to get some distance from that stress and pressure by looking at your life through the a narrative lens. That's a fancy way of saying, think about your life like a story.
Unknown Speaker 2:31
Now, I love any sort of good movie show where the narrator talks about their life. Think of wonder years if you're older.
Unknown Speaker 2:43
Think of trying to think of another one that for young people would get where the narrator is actually talking about what's going on in their life currently.
Unknown Speaker 2:53
And the kind of transition to start thinking about this is this question, What story will you tell with your life? And the transition? Next to that would be what story? Are you already telling? With your life? If someone were to talk about your life story,
Unknown Speaker 3:09
Dateline or not, maybe Dateline is kind of morbid.
Unknown Speaker 3:13
60 minutes, if if someone were to come in narrates what's going on with your life? What is that story? Is it interesting? Is it worth watching? Is it engaging? What would be said? What is happening? So I'm gonna walk through just a few key points. How do you do this? How do you think about your life like a story? If you've got a kid or group of students, this would be something you'd want to share with them.
Unknown Speaker 3:42
And I want to tell you about what's been true about stories, narrative stories, myths. Throughout human history. These are essential elements, about how stories work, what makes a story worth listening to remembering and telling and living. And the first one is this, you are the main character of your story, you are the hero. Now, most teenagers don't need to be reminded of this, you're the main character, you're already you know that you're the main character. But really, to put it in the slide, you are the hero. You're the front page is open, and it's about you. And then the story is going to unfold.
Unknown Speaker 4:25
And this story about your life is going to be lived no matter what.
Unknown Speaker 4:33
But a key part of being a hero in a story would be this element. There is a battle to be fought.
Unknown Speaker 4:42
So it's one thing to say you've got a life. You're the hero, you're the main character, and your job. The story is just to get through it. It's just one foot in front of the other. Survive. Make sure you don't mess anything up along the way. That's not an interesting story. An interesting story is when there's conflict, a battle, a fight.
Unknown Speaker 5:07
You think of any movie that you probably enjoy or love, or any character that you've really become affectionate towards, whether in literature, or a television show. And what you see is a character and means a main character, the hero, go through a journey of transformation. They're fighting for something they're fighting for. victory in battle, they're fighting for freedom, they're fighting for justice, they're fighting to
Unknown Speaker 5:36
figure out who they are, they're fighting, to get people to notice them. They're fighting to figure out their potential and realize it. And as a sporting event. There's always a battle to be fought and your life, what is it for you. Another one is that you have what it takes to fight that battle. Within you are the elements, the ingredients, to live this great story to pick up the sword and fight. I love Star Wars. And you think of for me Star Wars for Episode Four. Luke, when Luke is introduced into the Star Wars story. There is this sense within him that he has something else deeper within him. And there's a battle to be fought, he wants to pursue whatever that is, he wants to get off this planet and become a pilot and go fight a battle. And he knows deep within him is something and that's where in that story, Obi Wan Kenobi comes in as the guide to this main character, and introduces the Luke to his potential to tap into the force. And live it out and practice the force. Practice the way the force. So you have what it takes, but not yet. And that's the key part of being inside of a story. You have what it takes to fight the battle. But you also need to undergo a transformation. You don't have what it takes yet. You don't have the courage yet you don't have the resources, the skills, the wisdom, the strength yet, which is then it becomes the story. How will you respond to the fight the battle that you've picked, you're going to pick, fight for justice, fight for a healthy family fight for kids who didn't have mentors to have mentors, fight for disorganization to become organized, fight for a cure to cancer, fight for renewable energy, fight for efficient government where your fight is, what are you going to do about it? Because you do have what it takes, but not yet. So you need to undergo transformation, you need to put one foot in front of the other and start pursuing where you would become trained, formed and refined to fight that battle. Well,
Unknown Speaker 7:56
that narrative arc of your life is happening. And the question is, what are you going to do about it? And what you need to know is that there is a great story inside of you, and it's waiting to be discovered and waiting to be lived. But it's your story. No one else can live it for you, your parents, your peers, teachers, your coaches, the world, the government, nobody can live your story, but you you have to choose it. So you want to get to a clear, confident answer, but what are you going to do with your life? Then start thinking about your life through the lens, the story.
Unknown Speaker 8:30
Hey, thanks for joining in on the uscho podcast, we'd love to share with you the resources available on our website at theyouschool.com not just articles, ebooks, worksheets and other podcast episodes. But specifically you should know about a free course we have available called The Real Me course. It's digital, it's interactive, and it'll guide you to get clear about who you are in a great story you could tell with your life. So go register for a free account and get started on The Real Me course today. At theyouschool.com That's the you school dot com
Unknown Speaker 9:03
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