Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul on Tough Stuff: Stories of Tough Times and Lessons Learned

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This book provides many incites into teenagers lives due to the fact that the stories in this book are written by teens all over America. This book is an inspiration and a great way to help with ordinary teenage problems. If I had not been given the chance to realize it, I might have been too concerned with “fitting in” to experience some of the best times of my life.” Inspirational Stories for Teens Despite the pain I felt that day, it was a gift they had given me. They opened my eyes. The things that they said about me were true. I was just following, trying desperately to fit in. She just follows you around trying to be you. She copies you; she doesn’t have a personality of own.” another girl said.

Growing up is not easy. There are times when we find that adolescence challenges us the most. We become confused with our roles, our identities, and sometimes comes a point when we break our relationships with people around us, and worse, our relationship with our own selves. To her surprise, the summer before her sophomore year of high school, she became friends with Ashley, her classmate from summer school. Ashley was popular, outspoken, fashionable, and artistic. The following story about learning to be yourself was one of the inspirational stories from the book. The original story, found in the book, was written by Brianne Monett. I have taken bits & pieces of it to share with you. Enjoy! “If you don’t control your mind, someone else will.”– John AllstonI began listening to the music she listened to, wearing the clothes she wore. I quit reading and started watching TV programs Ashley watched. I even tailored my sophomore year schedule to her interests.

Ashley learned something that year… through her heartbreak, she discovered the person she was going to be. Although Lena didn't haver her old friend or her parents, she had Diana, her new friend. Diana made Lena feel pretty. Lena said that even though she didn't talk about her feelings with the popular girl, she didn't feel alone anymore. Adolescence tests our character – our strengths and weaknesses. We hope that this book will help or has helped us come out of it alive and whole.

Lena needs her friends to help her get through her parent's divorce, but they left her. In turn, Lena needs her parent's support over losing her friends, but they are getting a divorce. Lena feels alone. I can't take this anymore. All the fighting . . . it's always there. . . ." His voice had trailed off, lost in painful thought. "All I have to do is pull the trigger, and it will be over." In saying that, though, there was one thing that I did have a problem with and that’s the simple fact that you don’t always know what’s going to be said in a story, what it’s going to be about. For someone who stays clear of certain triggers, this might be a problem because you don’t always figure it out until it’s too late. Sure, the themes give you some clue of the subject, but it’s not always very clear. Or there are actually two themes going on and the second one sneaks up on you.