Meaningful Living

As part of our initiative to educate young people and promote meaningful living through spiritual, mental and emotional wellness, I Am Youth hosted a counselling class at LIV Lanseria After School. The session helped the learners understand that there is a difference between merely having a bad day and experiencing clinical depression, anxiety or trauma symptoms.

Many young South Africans are exposed to an ocean of online content that encourages (or is conducive to) them dwelling on negative thoughts. At the same time, they might also be dealing with the impact of growing up in households and communities that expose them to traumatic experiences that may be detrimental to their spiritual, mental and emotional health.

Dineo Phadimenyane, a child and youth development practitioner, facilitated the counselling class. She focused her lesson on encouraging young people to make a habit of dwelling on positive thoughts and doing healthy physical activities that regulate, to some degree, their dopamine and serotonin chemicals. Dineo explained, in layman’s terms, the importance of these chemicals to children and adults in maintaining healthy mental, emotional, and physical conditions.

About happiness and meaningful living

(By Dineo Phadimenyane)

“After the pandemic stirred every single one of us into (a sense of) hopelessness, do our children know/believe and truly understand that their future still lies squarely in the palms of a faithful God? Do they know and understand that they still have a choice to show up to this life filled with hope despite the difficulties they currently live through and those awaiting them?

It is never wise to feed children the false notion of “making it” in life. Life is a constant journey that requires consistency. Consistency is based on making good choices and learning from the “bad” ones.

There is nothing noble about poverty or living in it. Many of us Millennials [the humble beginnings squad] are realising that having an adequate (or more than that) amount of money in your account can buy you a limited amount of happiness…. there aren’t enough material goods in the world to fill a void that needs something of greater “substance”.

It is our desire to help children stand firmly on the foundation that is Jesus Christ and to embrace being accountable for their lives:

• No hiding behind faith.
• Acknowledging the challenges their circumstances present them with but not submitting to those circumstances defining who they are or who they can be(come).
• Valuing and practising the principles of hard work and truly comprehending that success is defined by a lot more than money, status and material wealth.
• Practicing kindness towards themselves and others.
• Using patience. Very few things happen overnight.

It’s time to encourage our youth to live happy and meaningful lives, yes to:

• Acquiring their education – finish primary/high school; going to college/varsity and getting their certificates.
• Working and earning an income.
• Learning good skills to be financially free.
• Finding value in things of substance: faith, friendship, community. Serving and loving others.
• Participating in good recreational activities, just yes to the good stuff that helps them develop into good contributors of society.

There are many gems to be found in this journey. I’m excited to watch it all unfold. To grow, learn and be empowered by the encounters we’ll have with God’s beloved young ones.”

If you feel overwhelmed, please make use of the I AM Youth free Whatsapp counselling or contact us via our youth hotline.