My parents have given up on me
This year I have my Std X board exams and I know that I am not studying up to the mark. Even my parents have given up on me. Whenever I study, I start thinking about my future when I know that I need to concentrate on my present. I’ve tried to put an end to my life but failed. I told my mother about this and got the worst scolding ever. My dad is not talking to me either.
Prachi (16)
Dear Prachi
People usually think of putting an end to his/her life when they perceive that there is no hope left for the future. I am not sure what more is making you feel this way. Your parents must have been shocked, upset and helpless about what you tried to do. Perhaps the only way they knew how to express themselves at that time was to scold you or stop speaking to you. Whatever the situation you face, you have one freedom — to choose your thoughts about how you see life — and that is where your inner power is.
You have come into this world with the potential to make a difference; your future is about discovering how you can make the difference. Seek help from a school counsellor, and also help yourself: Take a blank page; write down what you want in future at the top; then, at the bottom write, ‘Class 10’. Draw a ladder and write the steps that come in between, as best as you can. Pin this up on your wall and turn your future into a goal, a source of excitement. Use study skills and time management to help you focus on the present and to make your studies a stepping-stone to reach your goal.
Nasreen Hashambhoy is a Counsellor, Life Coach and a Facilitator of training programmes for schools and corporates. Through a combination of coaching, counselling and facilitation techniques based on cognitive science and positive psychology, she helps clients achieve their true potential. She is the author of the series Values In Action published by Better Yourself Books.