Know what you want to do and why
There is pressure on everyone not just teenagers but teenagers are in a more fragile state, they are at an age where they need to set their identity and discover who they are.
Online lives can also have an impact but it depends on how you use social media. In general, online presence can increase pressure simply because everyone online is comparing you with someone else. The key is to be transparent — don’t wear a mask and keep a clear line between private matters and your public life.
I think the biggest challenge is that young adults don’t know where they are headed. If you reflect on your goals and try to achieve them, you won’t feel the pressure because you will stay focussed. For example, over two years ago, I decided to conduct workshops to raise awareness about people with determination because I felt that different segments of society needed to hear our personal perspective as well as learn how to help different people of determination.
The main reason I wanted to start this is that it helped promote an inclusive society and it would provide people with a general background of the issue. So, I decided to do workshops for different sectors — medical staff, government entities, students and teachers. I had a different set of workshops for children because if you want to create a change it has to be at a young age. Because I believe in planning and plan 10 times before starting something, I did not feel overwhelmed. So, if you know what you want to achieve and why you want to do it, you won’t feel the pressure. From Ms Fatma Al Jassim Dubai Youth Council Member and a UAE Pioneers award winner