Independence is all about choice...
In any situation that life presents, good or bad, you can choose your response.
Let’s start with how you wake up in the morning. Before your feet even hit the ground, you can decide to do the best for yourself, or the opposite – to make things difficult for yourself. And why would you do that?
Doing the best for yourself is like being a best friend to yourself. A best friend who:
Wants you to be as happy as you can be;
Gives you encouragement when things don’t turn out as you’d hoped; and
Forgives you if you fail.
Some days you might not feel like your own best friend. In fact, some days may just be a struggle. The right choice to make or the next step to take may not be clear.
But, as your own best friend, you can learn to trust yourself through this challenge. Trust that in time you will make the right decisions. Trust that in time you can create the life for yourself that you’ve always wanted.
BUT WAIT – there’s more!
When you do warm up to being a friend to yourself AND trusting yourself, there is another challenge.
That challenge is… learning to L O V E yourself.
Are you blushing yet? It’s O.K. You don’t have to write it on your pencil-case or graffiti it on a toilet wall. You just have to know it yourself – you are the best thing going.
Self-esteem
Self-esteem is a side effect. It’s the BEST side effect you’ll ever experience. Self-esteem is the direct result of you making positive choices for yourself and you taking responsibility for yourself. It’s that simple!
The only way to discover the strength and talent you have inside yourself is to face up to the challenges that this journey to independence will present. Just add water and watch yourself grow!
NOW is the best time to ask yourself the question:
What do I REALLY want for my myself?
It’s O.K. if you can’t come up with an answer right now. There are so many things to discover about yourself on this journey. Just keep asking yourself the question and eventually the answer will come – the answer may even surprise you.
NT
Holyoake Alice Springs
The Adolescent Program supports young people who directly or indirectly affected by alcohol or other drugs, stressed or having problems with parents, relationships, school, friends or just life in general.
21 Newland Street
Alice Springs NT 0870
Call: 08 8952 5899
Email: program.manager@holyoake-alice.org.au
Reconnect Alice Springs
Reconnect supports young people who are homeless, or at risk of being homeless, to improve their level of engagement with family, the community and other services including work, education, accommodation, training, employment and health.
91 – 93 Gap Road
Alice Springs NT 0870
Call: 08 8953 6344 (8.30am – 5pm Mon to Fri)
www.gyc.org.au
Waltja Remote Reconnect Service
Reconnect is a family based early intervention project for young people at risk of homelessness from four remote Indigenous communities in Central Australia. Workers provide young people and families with a range of individual and group-based supports. Activities such as bush tucker and hunting, arts and music, aim to reconnect young people with family, community and with education, training and employment.
3 Ghan Road
Alice Springs NT 0870
Call: 08 8953 4488 (8am - 4.30pm Mon to Fri. Bush work hours are more flexible.)
www.waltja.org.au
Central Australian Aboriginal Congress - Youth Outreach Team
Provides individual counselling and outreach support, advocacy and referral for young Indigenous people aged 12 – 25 years.
Shop 9 Colocaq Plaza
Alice Springs NT 0870
youthcoord@caac.org.au
Call: 08 8953 8263
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