Lately I have been reflecting on the challenges facing young people. This is not because I am young, but because I refuse to become one of those older voices who dismiss the next generation with complaints about how easy life supposedly is for them.
The truth is very different.
Young people today navigate pressures and expectations that previous generations never encountered. Social media creates a constant sense of scrutiny, comparison and performance. On top of that are the familiar forces of adolescence such as peer expectations, identity formation and the search for belonging. All of this creates a landscape that can be both empowering and deeply overwhelming.
As I have thought more about this, one question keeps coming to mind.
What is one of the hardest things to do?
For me, the answer is clear.
To be yourself.
To live authentically, to stay true to your values and to act in accordance with your own instincts sounds simple in theory. In practice it can be incredibly challenging. Even the Oxford Dictionary defines being yourself as acting naturally and according to one’s character and instincts. Yet with so much noise and pressure surrounding young people, achieving this can be very difficult.
I have been reminded of this during an eight-day outdoor education program I am currently running with a group of teens. Before camp, they presented with plenty of bravado and surface level confidence. Soon after came uncertainty. This was followed by a dip in confidence and a moment of real vulnerability. Gradually, through shared experiences and genuine challenge, many of them reached a transformative realisation. They discovered that the most effective way forwards was to simply be themselves.
In the outdoors, there is nowhere to hide. People see who you really are. In that honesty, growth becomes possible and real change can take place.
Insights like this do not come from classrooms or lectures alone. They emerge from lived experiences such as arts, music, drama, debating, sport and outdoor education. These are environments where you must show up fully and where authenticity is essential, as they naturally encourage you to step beyond your comfort zone and grow in the process.
These reflections also reminded me of one of the strengths of Auscamp. We have a team of people who genuinely strive to be themselves and to step up to be their best selves. That level of authenticity helps create an environment where young people feel safe to do the same.
So yes, be yourself. But even more importantly: Be your best self.