Stress in Teens

Teens my age are usually stressed over a number of things. Such as, getting accepted to colleges, worrying about maintaining a job, staying in relationships, and all of the responsibilities their parents lay on them. I'm not saying that I don't have these same pressures placed upon myself, I just feel like I am one of Epicurus' own. Epicurus was a philosopher who thought that the goal of one's life was to live for pleasure. Please don't misunderstand me; I'm not trying to paint a picture of laziness.

As everyone knows stress can be a very dangerous thing. We've all heard about the stories of teens who under the pressures to succeed have taken their lives. Most of these stories I hear, are about teens that have everything going for them. You know the type: top of the class, accepted to great colleges, and star athletes.

I just don't see the need to pile all of these responsibilities upon myself at one time. I prefer to take care of my responsibilities in an accordingly manner. If I know that I can't handle a girlfriend, work, and studying all at once then I've got to "cut the fat", if you will.

One of my favorite quotes is "For peace of mind, resign as general manager of the universe" - Larry Eisenberg. I take that quote to mean don't try and pile needless responsibilities onto yourself if you don't need to. In my humble opinion I feel it is very important to lead a stress-less life. I know that it is almost impossible to lead a life without encountering a few problems here or there. The important thing to me is to take care of my problems one at a time, and to not let them pile up. This is a way of life which many people have tried to lead, and have failed. I guess I can offer one simple piece of advice when life becomes rough relax.