Who would not agree that teenage years are the best times and the worst ones in our lives? Being a teenager means that you are not a child anymore, but you are not an adult yet, either. Teenage years are challenging in many ways. It is the peak time of great changes in one's life, and with those changes come heaps of pressure, uncertainty, fear, insecurities and worrying. Under these circumstances, even a small incident escalates into anxiety, which then stimulates a possibly self-destructive coping mechanism. In other words, thinking of ending one's life.
Words Are Free But How You Use Them May Cost You.
In the light of 13 Reasons Why, Hannah's peers did not value her until she was gone. It also portrays how bullying can affect someone so intensely. This is just one small reminder that we, as a society, are so hasty to judge others. We need to spend a lot more time listening and reaching out, rather than ignoring something that may seem insignificant. People have become more selfish towards their own needs, and less empathetic towards others. Instead of talking to each other when we sit next to a stranger, we think that it would be less awkward to gaze down at our phones and pretend we are too busy. The person sitting next to you could be hurting inside, yet you would never know because you did not try asking.
Be Compassionate.
One simple act of kindness can change the way people see themselves, you might even save a life. How we make others feel about themselves says a lot about us. We are all unique individuals; with our own vices, attitudes and way of doing things that make us who we are. Not all of us are made to "fit" in every crowd or constellation, rather stand out by our own individuality. That is what makes us beautiful.
What Others Think Of You Is None Of Your Business.
"Just because one person didn't appreciate you, it doesn't mean that you're not worthy of being appreciated. Just because one person took advantage of your good heart, it does not mean that having a good heart is wrong. It means that they lost a good-hearted person like you. They should regret losing you. You shouldn't regret having a good heart." - Najwa Zebian
Stay Humble. Hustle Hard.
The ways in which teenagers are prompt to lose themselves, conversely, perhaps helps them truly find themselves in the end. A certain amount of experimentation - with rebellion, imitation, and changes of appearance and attitude - is probably necessary before they can form a real sense of what they want and how to go about getting it. Parents who understand this come to realize that they have to let go of their children, to a certain extent of course, just when they want to protect them the most. They cannot choose their kids' identities; kids have to discover it for themselves. Thus, in that case, it is crucial to surround ourselves with people who are going to be there for us through every hit.
You Only Fail If You Quit. Never Give Up On Yourself.
So just, hang in there. Things will get better. Focus on being the best of YOURSELF that you can be. Learn something every day. Remember that other teens also feel insecure about countless things, even if you cannot tell. '13 Reasons Why' goes above and beyond teaching one lesson about suicide, it teaches us many, and how - if we point out the triggers - they can help improve the everyday life of ourselves and those around us. As Jennifer Anniston puts it,
"There are no regrets in life. Just lessons."