The Truth Behind Your Teen's Stres

A recent study at Yale University revealed that 70% of students reported feeling tired, stressed, and bored. This mirrors a national study on high schoolers, where 77% expressed feeling the same three emotions.

When asked to journal about these feelings, a common theme was found to be at the root: ENVY.

The majority of students wrote about jealousy and social comparisons with their peers. Students believed others were prettier, smarter, more popular, wealthier, or more connected.

This resonates with what I observe in my own teenagers and young adult children. They often feel others have it better, leading to the belief that something is wrong with them or their lives.

Do your teens tell you they're tired, stressed, or bored? Understanding that envy is often a major contributor to these feelings is eye-opening.

When they complain about being tired, we assume they need more sleep. When they're stressed, we might try to lighten their load. But wait, how can they feel simultaneously stressed and bored? Wouldn't removing tasks from their plate increase their boredom?

When we realize the problem is not boredom or stress, but envy, the solution is clear. We can focus on addressing envy.

And the antidote to envy is gratitude.

Alan Watts beautifully said: "Gratitude isn't simply saying thank you for things. It's the quiet recognition that you already have everything you need. When you feel truly grateful, you are not lacking. And when you are not lacking, you stop chasing—you begin vibrating at the frequency of abundance."

Gratitude is a practice we nurture and a culture we create in our homes, starting with us.

Begin by expressing gratitude and appreciation more often—to your spouse, coworkers, and kids.

Openly discuss how fortunate we are to have essentials like running water, a refrigerator, and a thermostat.

Each evening at dinner, encourage each family member to share three things they are grateful for.

These and other gratitude practices can shift our teens' focus from comparison and lack to appreciation and abundance, leading to a decrease in fatigue, stress, and boredom.

Amazing, right?

What strategies do you have to increase the level of gratitude and abundance in your home? I'd love to hear your ideas.