Can We Support Our Youth for a Brighter Future for All Beings?

Do you have any young people?in your life right now, like adult?children, nieces, nephews, or friends? Like me, you may have possibly wondered, 'how will they ever get ahead in life, in this rapidly changing world of huge demand, and low availability?"?

'Getting ahead' these days really means a bit of breathing room to stretch one's wings and have faith in a positive future. This wiggle room and sense having the basics being somewhat 'taken care of' allows one to move to supporting issues in humanity and the environment. Such issues desperately need attention for humans to survive and thrive at this given time.??

For a while I was in the camp, 'It was really tough when we were young too.' And, of course it was, and yet when you look at the disparity of housing prices vs. income made, in many countries, the contrast has hugely, massively changed. When I bought my first house in 1999, these two metrics were almost on par in Canada. Today, housing prices dwarf that of income made. It's not just housing as we know. Food prices... travel costs... and the price of other goods, have all risen dramatically.

In my life, I have several wonderful?kids all working hard in school and in part-time jobs, and yet there is the sense?of 'why bother' among many youth today. This complacency and futility among youth today impacts their feelings towards big issues like habitat loss, species extinctions, and the resulting climate change, and the enormous associated social issues that ensue.

Imagine not feeling empowered at all that there's no hope, no reason to hold out for a better future? I know it's easier for someone like me, with a home, with an established way of supporting myself, to work on causes that I care about.

And yet for young people today??

At this point, innovation, perseverance, and unwavering trust in the universe seems to be where many young people finding success have to find themselves. This is a total leap of faith.

My youngest child, barely out of second year university, has turned to private entrepreneurship. A teen of the pandemic, she spent the last 2.5 years of high school at home, working diligently in her bedroom/ office. Having worked at a café part time until it was rightfully shut down, she came to us in her last semester and announced.?

"Ok, I have started a blog and written several posts to help teens survive in the pandemic. I had a not so great experience in high school, in my home. I have managed to save enough money to pay tuition for a yoga teacher training in Bali...I want to be a part-time yoga instructor to help myself through university. Can you help me get there?"

My wife I looked at each other without skipping a beat, and, in unison replied, "Sure." Yeah, it's not easy to pack up and head somewhere else for 6 weeks. And yet we both worked from home and had saved up a bit of money to try working from abroad. We embraced a beautiful short chapter in our lives in Bali, supporting a child (at that time 17!), starting to make her way in the world.

Fast forward 2 and a half years.?

At barely 20, she has become an top notch cook, a yoga instructor, a podcaster ('The Joy of Being'), a blogger ('Dear Future Self'), and someone who is delving deeply into the issues of humanity and the environment. She is of course, human. She struggles like most youth still trying ways to have this help pay for an individual future of not living at home and not having some freedom to extend her work in the community, national, and global issues she deeply cares about.?

Recently, she's decided to put her work 'out there in creating a 4-week online yoga, journaling, and healthful cooking program to aid people at home in their own motivation to stay limber, well nourished and all with a vigorous and kind soul.??

If any of this interests you on your journey, I of course have written this so others might purchase this package.

If this isn't in the realm of your interest, please find a young person in your midst and support them in creating a life of possibility and hope for a brighter future. Thanks so much for your time.

P.S. I posted a picture of Cassara (Cassie) and me when she was 2 years old with a friendly dragonfly perched on my hand. The next year, we took her to 'Animal Yoga,' with 'Animal Barb.' Ever since, yoga has been a huge part of her life (this photo seems like yesterday to me!)!

If interested, please See Cassie's Offering Here:

https://dearfutureself.ca/yoga/ols/products/the-dear-future-self-yoga-program

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