I’ve made mistakes. So have you. So have our kids. That’s part of life—missed turns, hard lessons, moments you’d handle differently if given another shot. But looking back, I’m often more grateful than regretful. The messy parts taught me more than the polished ones ever did.
Now I watch this next generation—our teens on the cusp of adulthood—caught in a strange tension between excitement and fear. The diplomas, the decisions, the flood of questions: What’s next? What’s right? What if I fail?
Here’s what they need to hear: it’s okay not to have all the answers. But it’s not okay to stay stuck in the unknown. Not when there are so many ways forward.
Let them know it’s normal to feel unsure—but don’t let them sit in that uncertainty alone. Encourage them to seek out guidance, to ask questions, to talk to people who’ve been there. A five-year plan isn’t necessary, but movement is. Ask a mentor how they found their way. Ask a neighbor how they got their first job. Explore different paths. Learn what doesn’t fit as much as what might.
College is just one road—and a good one for many—but it’s not the only one. It’s also brave and worthwhile to dive into work that feels purposeful. To join an apprenticeship and learn a skill. To sign up for a leadership program and stretch into new roles. To volunteer and pour into others while discovering more about yourself in the process.
The world doesn’t need perfectly polished résumés at 18. It needs young adults with curiosity, courage, and compassion. Teens who aren’t afraid to start somewhere, even if it’s small. Teens who are willing to learn by doing, not just deciding.
So yes—hug them. Celebrate them. But also challenge them to move. Encourage them to reach out, to explore, to get a little messy while finding their own direction. Because the path doesn’t have to be certain for the journey to begin.
And sometimes, the only way to figure it out—is to start walking.
