Nine things a mother needs to share with her son.

My teenage son is at home for the Australian summer holidays – and he is fast becoming a man. As I look at him I wonder what the world will be like for him as he chooses his life journey and his life’s work.

My job is almost finished, but it would be remiss of me if I did not share with him the important role he plays as a young man, in contributing to the world around him.

How he conducts himself will determine his own happiness.

His future is his... and it is for him to discover his purpose, his contribution and his path. Here are a few helpful hints I shared with my son to give him the best opportunity to live a fulfilled and happy life.

I share with you this letter to my son.

1. To be ‘loving’ is to be ‘loveable’ – it is possible to be both strong and tender at the same time.
2. Your masculine energy has been given to you to protect others and support them – don’t ever be a bully, but do defend yourself.
3. Play sport, be fit, eat well and live a wholesome life – you don’t yet know but you have only been given ‘one’ body – don’t abuse it, you don’t get to trade it in when you wear it out.
4. You set the tone in intimate relationships. Support and nurture the feminine energy around you. Like Yin and Yang, relationships need the strength of the masculine and the softness of the feminine.
5. Allow yourself to trust in all relationships – don’t fear being hurt or hold yourself back because of this fear. Fully express yourself; be the man you know yourself to be, and if it does not work out it's okay.... it is better to be yourself and be loved for that, than hide in a relationship and ignore your true self.
6. Don’t fear being alone. 'Like' yourself, know in your heart you are a good man – people are attracted to those who have self-belief.
7. See the light side of everything – don’t take yourself too seriously. Life is a long, hard road if you are not having fun along the way. Set goals and celebrate your successes.
8. Find what you have been put on the planet to do, how you can make a difference to others – Ask your self daily "how will I leave the planet a better place than when I arrived?"
9. Treat every woman kindly – and treat her equally. Women can do everything you can do – they just might do it differently.

Simply remember that life is a journey – every day counts and...be grateful for what you have.

“...You have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life.”

Naomi Simson is the founding director of Australian online tech success story RedBalloon. She has written more than 800 blog posts at NaomiSimson.com, is a professional speaker, author of Live what you Love (pre-order now) and now TV personality on Channel 10’s Shark Tank (airing January 2015). Get to know her further on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.